I Am Back
by St. Danger
Summary: Time has been turned back. Chris and Sirhc are back, and havoc is wrought. When they meet their fellow Shadowers, things will never be the same. Can they save the world from an unknown evil? Final part of the Shadower Trilogy. I have a new penname!
1. It Returns Within

**Title:I Am Back  
Author: Captain IF****  
Posted On:** May 3rd, 2007  
**Summary:** Time has been turned back, and only Chris remembers what took place. His Shadower self, Sirhc, is determined to break free of his prison inside Chris. And when he finally breaks free, Chris will end up with nothing but more torment. Sirhc knows more than he tells, and visitors from the dead and the future make things even more complicated. In the final installment of the 'Shadower Trilogy', will and power shall be tested and the fate of the universe will be decided. sequel to 'I Am Dead'  
**Note:** I'm baaaack! Here it is, finally. Review replies are below, and thanks for the tremendous support. Thank you all!  
**Rated For:** Language, thematic elements, cataclysmic writing, intense emotional rants, some blood/gore, and descriptive scenes of atrocities.

**criminally charmed:** /laughs/ glad you liked it, and here is the story for your needs!

**MidnightLightning36:** /smiles/ is this soon enough? How's this: we both kick ass!

**denise:** Not at the moment, just a oneshot. I'm working on a series of drabbles, oneshots etc and I might possibly be doing a prequel to the Shadower Trilogy. If you have any ideas, let me know!

**fairyofmusic:** Glad you liked it!

**MissHaunted-MoonLight:** Ha! I'm not the only one who's life is kicking her in the teeth. It's okay about not reviewing, so long as you like the story I'm cool. Hope you like the sequel!

**RBDFAN:** Heh, thanks.

**Kitty-Witty-Kate:** Glad ya like it, hope ya like the sequel!

**Sparrow317:** Yup, time turned back. I have a few interesting twist planned for this story.

**clois-liper-carbby:** Thanks, I like the titles. I'll use some of those for the Vignettes. Which I must go work on...

**Chapter 1: It Returns Within**

Chris orbed to the manor's attic. He flinched when he recognized everything around him. Flashes of dark moments of erased time were thrust into his head. So much had happened here, but it was gone. It had never happened, and that's the way it needed to be.

He cautiously walked over to the Book of Shadows. He glanced at the floor, and closed his eyes. The vision of his blood pooled on the wood floor sent a sharp stab of pain in his heart. Anara had been right. The pain had been real, and it would haunt him for the rest of his life.

Chris opened the book, flipping through its pages with a sense of determination. He had been given a final chance, and he was **not** going to blow this one.

"CHRIS?!" a woman shrieked. Piper stood in the doorway, hands curled into fists of wrath.

Chris's throat tightened, cutting off the words stuck in his throat. He shook his head. "No." he whispered, and orbed away, book in hand.

"YOU THIEF!" she screamed after him.

Chris materialized at P3 in the storeroom where a couch served as his bed. He slammed the book on a desk scattered with papers. He had very little time, so he would need to work fast. Flipping rapidly through the pages, eyes scanning the text and pictures for anything that would help. He reached the end of the book in a few minutes. He went through it again. And a third time, and even a fourth.

Nothing.

"Come on!" he growled, kicking the desk as he stood up. He ignored the sharp pain in his foot. Pain was nothing new, and this was nothing compared to the distant memories that haunted every moment. Anara had not told him it would be so horrid. He could feel the Shadower, the dark side of him pulsing just beneath the surface. It would take so much less than a catastrophe to set the Shadower off, and once he went back, there was no returning.

Orbs trailed in front of him. Paige, Phoebe, Piper and Leo were before him, poised for a fight. Chris sighed, running hand through his hair.

"Take the book. It's done me no good anyways." he said.

"Book of Shadows." Paige orbed the book to her hands, clutching it tightly.

"You're a demon aren't you?! A thieving demon who tricked the book!" Piper shouted.

Chris smiled weakly. "Demon? No, I don't think so. I'm three things, but a demon is not one of them."

"Who are you?" Phoebe demanded, anger seeping through her words.

"Chris." he answered softly.

"What are you then?" Leo growled, hatred blazing through his eyes.

Chris flinched as if he had been struck across the face. The burning hate in his father's eyes stung him.

"Answer the question." Piper commanded, raising her hands in warning.

"Give me one reason to." he spat. The Shadower spiked through his body like an electric shock. "No. No. Don't." he whispered to himself. The Shadower retreated.

"What are you talking about? Don't what?" Phoebe demanded.

"Don't come back." he murmured.

"What do you mean 'don't come back'?! I should be telling you the same thing. In fact, I've already told you I never want to see you again!" Piper snarled.

Sirhc spiked again, stronger than the last attack. Chris closed his eyes tightly. His fists clenched till his nails pierced the sin. Blood trickled through his fists, dripping to the floor.

Blood. So much blood.

The Shadower roared to life, as if it had been called.

"_I warned you Chris! I told you I would come back, and I will! And it will happen, no matter what you do to stop it!" _Sirhc shouted, vicious glee at Chris's torment swirling with triumph. Chris squeezed his eyes tighter.

"Please." he tried to orb away, and was pulled back. Hard. He slammed to the ground. His eyes snapped open, revealing Leo as the one who had yanked him back.

"Let me leave." he commanded through gritted teeth.

"You're in no position to be ordering anyone around Chris!" Paige yelled.

Chris looked at them with pleading eyes. "You don't understand. I have to leave. He'll come back. Then it'll all be over."

"Who'll come back?" Phoebe asked, her tone softening at his sincerity.

"I can't tell you. I already went through this hell once, I can't do it again. This is my last chance, my very last chance." Chris replied cryptically.

"No Chris, you already screwed up your last chance!" Piper retorted.

Chris orbed away, this time succeeding. He orbed to the Golden Gate Bridge, in hopes of returning to Anara's world. Ocean wind whipped around him, sending an icy blast that soothed the Shadower blazing just below the surface. Chris sat down cross legged, his hands clasped together. The wind calmed him. The gentle sounds of the ocean below allowed his mind to drift.

"Hey!" someone shouted behind him. He jumped to his feet, panic spreading through him. He expected the sisters.

No, he couldn't be that lucky.

It was the Fallers.

"Oh not now, I'm not in the mood to deal with you guys." Chris hollered over the wind, moving into a fighting position.

"Whatcha gonna do kiddie?" a Faller mocked, his nails glistening with blood of another victim.

With a yell, Chris used his telekinesis to send the three demon before him sailing over the edge before they could kill him. One tossed an athame, and it buried into his shoulder. With a cry of agony, Chris orbed away to a park.

"You're such an idiot!" he berated himself aloud._ 'How could you forget the Fallers? They're half of what triggered the Shadower!'_

The said force inside him pulsed at the use of his name. Ripping the athame from his shoulder, Chris bit his lip till it bled. The crimson liquid dripped into his mouth and onto his teeth and tongue. The metallic taste felt satisfying in a way, to both Sirhc and Chris. But before Chris could think things out, three voices rang in his head.

'_To solve what we can't, bring Chris Perry to where we chant.'_

He vanished in a golden glow, and reappeared in the manor. Before him were the Sisters, Leo, and Prue Halliwell. The sisters must have summoned Prue.

"Oh no." Chris groaned. He held his head in his hands, shaking it slowly. "Not now guys, you have no idea how bad this is."

"You tell me my son is evil, and you want sympathy?!" Piper snarled.

"Because it's the truth!" Chris exploded.

"Prove it!" she shot back, venom soaking her words.

"Then go to the future! See the carnage that litters every single space of the Earth and Underworld! See the children that lay covered in blood, dead from Wyatt's minions! Go there and watch those who fight him be killed or taken away to be tortured to the point where they want death, where they hope and pray for it because they know life is so horrible that death can't be as bad! Go to where I grew up and see it, a SHRINE to Wyatt's sick and twisted kingdom! A shrine to the power he rose from, the power that corrupted him and killed nearly a billion people, and is killing hundreds all over the world every day! Watch me fight for my life for fear of being captured, because if I'm captured then I can forget about being able to fight for a few months! The last time I was captured, Wyatt personally tortured me! I couldn't breathe for a whole year without it hurting! It still hurts, he's damaged me so badly I'm lucky to be able to live!" he shouted, arms spread out to show vulnerability and defeat. He stared at them, eyes shimmering with unshed tears of memories resurfacing. Before anyone could respond, or even open their mouths, Chris orbed away. He was on the rooftop of a city building. The stars glittered overhead, and the moon glowed with radiance. But below their beauty, Chris was fighting the Shadower within him.

Sirhc pulsed like a heartbeat, coursing through him. Chris held his head and squeezed his eyes shut. His body went rigid with the distortion of his will battling the Shadower's. And he was losing.

* * *

**I know that was a not-so-nice cliffie, but I'm working on this story as often as I can. Unfortunately, my life has gotten so busy it's scary. I've got 17 packets due by the day before my Science State Test. (on Friday we get to have a party and burn the packets, MWHAHAHAHA!!) I'm going to visit my youngest cousins with my older cousin, so that wipes out my Saturday. Friday I'll be so busy with finishing all my work that I'll possibly be up till after 1 AM. So that leaves Sunday... And an hour or two on Monday and Tuesday.**

**Ending my pointless ramblings, so feel free to ignore me and review. Pwease?**


	2. Released

**Title:I Am Back  
Author: Za Webmaster Authoress****  
Posted On:** May 14th, 2007  
**Summary:** Time has been turned back, and only Chris remembers what took place. His Shadower self, Sirhc, is determined to break free of his prison inside Chris. And when he finally breaks free, Chris will end up with nothing but more torment. Sirhc knows more than he tells, and visitors from the dead and the future make things even more complicated. In the final installment of the 'Shadower Trilogy', will and power shall be tested and the fate of the universe will be decided. sequel to 'I Am Dead'  
**Note:** GAH! MIKE GIMME BACK MY CARROTS!!! (My brother stole my freak'n carrots!) /tackles brother/ MINE!! GIVE'EM HERE SPARKY!  
**Rated For:** Language, thematic elements, cataclysmic writing, intense emotional rants, some blood/gore, and descriptive scenes of atrocities.

**Chapter 2: Released**

Chris collapsed to his knees, his form jerking every few moments. He wrenched his arm up, as if something was holding him back. He tried to send a blow of telekinesis to release the energy but it ended up backfiring. As if a shield had repelled his magic, the telekinesis sent him hurdling backwards. The wind was knocked out of him as his back connected with the ground. He rolled onto his stomach and pushed himself up to his knees.

"Come on." his eyes closed, trying to meditate. He saw flashes of Anara's home, but no solid contact could be made.

He jerked his head up, and his eyes flickered open. A silver illumination was before him, only visible to his eyes.

"I was wrong Chris, so very wrong. It's stronger than anyone knew. Nothing can contain it. I'm so sorry Chris..." Anara told him sorrowfully before fading away again.

"Anara, no!" Chris yelled, reaching out a hand to pull her back. It didn't work.

A black energy swirled around him. The shadow tore away from Chris, and pain ripped through him. Like a mirror, the shadow slowly shaped into Chris, kneeling with his nails digging into the ground.

Sirhc held out his palm to allow Chris to see the scar. Shaking furiously, Chris pulled up his own hand. The scar remained, but his Shadower self's scar was reversed, like a reflection.

The Shadower stood up, gazing at Chris with a hint of disdain.

"I'm free. Too bad you were too weak to contain me ain't it? I mean, you packed a punch before Anara turned back time. Still do, which is why I'll leave you here instead of killing you. Besides, the anguish of allowing me to escape you is enough isn't it?"

"What am I supposed to call you now that you're free?" Chris heaved for air.

His copy paused, looking thoughtful. "Sirhc Llewillah, still. I mean, Shadow or Night or Shade the Shadower is a little unoriginal, don't ya think?"

Chris pulled himself, with much effort, to his feet. "I'll stop you. If it kills me, I'll stop you."

Sirhc laughed. "You have no idea what killing yourself will do! What happens to our big brother then, huh?"

Chris flicked his hand out, striking the Shadower with a blast of telekinesis. Sirhc's form skidded across the roof like a stone on a pond. His nails clenched the rooftop, barely saving him from toppling over the edge to the streets below. He lifted his head up, black locks falling over his eyes. "Nice shot. I think you may still have some Shadower in you. Ah, I still have enough to take down even Lord Wyatt. See ya Chris." with that, Sirhc orbed away. Black, silver and dark grey orbs.

Chris felt himself paling. Gasping for breath, he concentrated on locating his Shadower self. A blank came up. Still kneeling on the rooftop, thoughts raced through his mind. What to do, what to do. To go to the Sisters would be a victory to them, and they would most likely kill him rather than allow him to get away once again. With a sigh, he orbed to the manor, mentally preparing himself for the harsh words and powerful distrust that would be thrown his way.

Phoebe, Prue, Paige, Piper, and Leo were spread around the attic, searching for spells and potions to help the situation in some way. He orbed in, still on his knees. Those near Chris scatted back. He ignored their distrustful and analyzing looks. He stood up, and clutching his injured shoulder, he took a step towards the Book.

"Crystals!" Paige commanded, and the objects surrounded themselves around Chris. He sighed in frustration. He didn't need this at all.

"Guys. I NEED the book. Or else."

"Is that a threat young man?" Prue demanded, walking closer to the cage.

His head snapped up. "Yes, it's a threat! A threat against the entire world! Without the Book, it all ends!" he shouted.

Rage flew through Piper. "Who do you think you are Chris?! A random nobody whitelighter from the future, who comes in and screws with our lives for your own gain?!"

"Technically I'm a whitelighter and a witch. Sirhc is the Shadower..." Chris murmured. He raised his hand, staring at the scar on his palm. But on one point of the pentagram, a black ink was seeping through. Like a tattoo.

He sucked in his breath and clenched his hand to hide the mark.

"Chris. What are you hiding?" Leo bristled.

"Plenty of things, but none I'm telling you." Chris retorted.

"Tell us!" Piper roared.

"Piper, please calm down. I'll talk to Chris. You guys can take some time to relax for a bit." Prue said soothingly.

Piper looked at her eldest sister with the eyes of one who is going to argue.

"Go, now." Prue ushered her away. Paige, Phoebe, and Leo reluctantly followed Piper to the other side of the attic, where they sat down uncertainly.

Prue turned to Chris, determination on her face. He watched her with weary eyes.

"So, what are you gonna do?" he asked, not truly wanting to know.

"We're going to interrogate you, what did you think we would do?" Prue asked.

"Kill me?" Chris asked hopefully.

"Kill you? Why would we do that?" Prue demanded.

"It would kill him too." Chris whispered.

With a sharp intake of breath, Sirhc orbed to where he sensed Chris. The little rat figured out how to stop him, even if it was the most extreme way. He froze the scene, leaving only Chris.

The scene that befell his eyes enraged him. Chris, trapped in a cage with a bleeding shoulder, Prue standing in front of him, and the Charmed Ones and Leo sitting at a far side of the attic.

"It's time to go Chris." he hissed, holding out his scarred palm. It, like Chris's scar, was slowly becoming lined with a black inky liquid. The shaken Chris raised his palm to match the Shadower's. Sirhc stepped forward, his shoes making little sound. Sirhc waved his hand, and crystals scattered and hit various walls and furniture.

Chris glared at Sirhc. "Why?"

Sirhc laughed. It was chilling and cruel, filled with mockery and power. "I'm not doing this entirely for you, Chris. You die, I die. I die, you lose a big chunk of yourself. Not too fair of a trade, but since I got all the best powers, I guess we can call it even." a smirk played across his lips, icy to the core. "Come on Chris."

"No." Chris snarled.

"Defiant to the end." Sirhc sighed, black energy forming in his hand.

The last thing Chris heard was a cruel laugh, and the sound of electricity crackling. Then it all went dark.

* * *

**Thanks for the reviews everybody! Hope you all like the chapter! **

**MidnightLightning36:** The visit with my cousins was fun (and exhausting) But I'm pretty much in the clear with school work for a bit. Just took my French speaking task, so that's done.

**MONEBUDDHA:** /grabs/ Hey, hey! I'm the only allowed to fall off cliffs! (or down hills when I'm pushed by my 'friends' as they call themselves) Glad ya liked the chapter!

**HalliwellStabler2004:** Don't worry, the sisters are gonna get hell!

**xcharmedgirl4evax:** Sorry for the long wait!

**lizardmomma: **Thanks!

**Michelle:** I'd check... Every couple of days. Sometimes I take FOREVER to update, but now that my work load has been decreased I might get things up faster.

**History Buff 1990:** thanks, my science grade is a 98.3 percent!!

**Jordan-Daniel:** Some interesting questions you've asked, and I'll try to answer them all by the end of the story.

**fairyofmusic:** Thanks!

**RBDFAN:** Oui, I've been very mean to him/huggles Chris/ I'm sowwy! 


	3. Trying

**Title:I Am Back  
Author: Za Webmaster Authoress****  
Posted On:** May 28th, 2007  
**Summary:** Time has been turned back, and only Chris remembers what took place. His Shadower self, Sirhc, is determined to break free of his prison inside Chris. And when he finally breaks free, Chris will end up with nothing but more torment. Sirhc knows more than he tells, and visitors from the dead, past, present, and the future make things even more complicated. In the final installment of the 'Shadower Trilogy', will and power shall be tested and the fate of the universe will be decided.   
**Note:** It's finally up!! I just had vanilla frosting, original potato chips, mozzarella cheese, Ritz plain crackers, vitamin D milk, sugar-free orange Jell-O, and I think that's it... I think there's some Chinese leftovers, I'll go grab some of that. /gags/ Never mind... Dude, I'm a freak. I saw POTC 32 on Thursday at 8pm, and Sunday at 4pm!! I love those movies. Oh, review responses are at the bottom, I hope everybody likes the chapter.   
**Rated For:** Language, thematic elements, cataclysmic writing, intense emotional rants, some blood/gore, and descriptive scenes of atrocities.

**Chapter 3: Trying**

"Please don't do this." Anara pleaded. Sirhc stood before her, in her realm. He had used his powers to drift to her world, and to do one thing.

To kill her.

"Do what?" Sirhc taunted. An athame was twirling in his hand, a dark glint in his eyes. A psychotically dark light, like a killer preparing to watch the life leave his victim's eyes.

"You know what." she snapped, her usually superiority overcoming her fear.

"Sorry Anara. I can't have you interfering again." he tossed the athame. It plunged into her stomach, and she gasped for air. Blood flowed from her abdomen and into her hands.

"Bye." he stepped through a portal, laughing all the way. Anara, still gasping, summoned a pen and paper. She frantically scribbled, not caring if her blood dripped on the paper. She quickly folded it, and wrote a name on the front. Summoning all of her power, she

sent the note to a world called Earth. To a young man named Christopher Perry Halliwell.

Chris wearily lifted up his head. He tried to sit up, only to find his hands were bound. He was tied to a tree, in the middle of god-knows-where. With anger in his heart, he tried to orb.

"I don't think so Chris." Sirhc stated, appeared before Chris in a bolt of lightning.

"What happened to orbing?" Chris sneered.

"Orbing won't appear very evil, now will it? Even a Shadower's orbs. A black lightning bolt seems so much more wicked, don't ya think?"

"What are you planning?" Chris hollered, struggling against the bonds.

"Oh come on Chrissy. Use that brain of yours, it's saved you for 22 years it can piece together the obvious." Sirhc rolled his eyes.

Chris paused before replying. He analyzed the facts, and formulated the conspicuous conclusion. "You're going to pretend to be me and make the sisters think I'm evil." he finally said.

"There you go." Sirhc smirked, a nasty smirked that emanated vicious captivation of the story unfolding before him.

"And what do you gain out if it?" Chris demanded as he tried to orb and failed.

"First off, those ropes bind your magic, wiccan and whitelighter. Second, I gain some serious entertainment. And third, I can possibly turn you into a Shadower again, unless we merge." Sirhc vanished with a bolt of black lightning.

"No witch powers effect the rope, and no orbing. Now what am I supposed to do?" Chris wondered aloud, a sour note in his voice. Then a thought dawned on him. Something that Sirhc had said.

'_I think you may still have some Shadower in you...'_

A vile and wicked smirk slowly spread across Chris's lips. Sirhc didn't say anything about the rope being impervious to Shadower powers, now did he?

* * *

Sirhc grinned as he materialized in the Halliwell manor's attic. 

"Miss me?" he asked with a nasty tinge.

"Chris, what happened?" Paige inquired, tilting her head to analyze Sirhc. The others stared at him with wide eyes, their bodies tensing as they felt the dark power surging from him. Sirhc waved his hand, and a shield erupted from the floor around the opposing people. It was clear, with shrouds of black and dark grey sparks dancing around it.

"Nothing happened Paige. I've always been this way. Heinous, you might say."

"I KNEW IT!" Piper screamed, fury twisting her body.

"You're evil aren't you?!" shot Leo, his suspicions finally about to be proven.

"Wow, a little slow on the uptake aren't ya?" Sirhc chuckled.

"Then kindly fill in the blanks." Prue snarled, her fire rekindled as she saw the threat before her sisters.

"I can do that!" Chris shouted, orbing in and tackling Sirhc to the floor.

The Shadower kicked him off, sending the boy into a wall.

"There's two of you?" Phoebe hollered, wanting an answer.

"Yeah. Yeah, you could say that." Chris replied weakly as he struggled to pull himself to his feet.

"Well, who's who?" Paige asked as her eyes darted between Chris and Sirhc.

"Is it that hard to figure out? Au–" before Sirhc could finish his statement, Chris sent him hurdling into a wall with a wave of telekinesis.

"Don't even think about it Sirhc!" Chris shouted, clenching his hand into a fist as a warning.

"How did you escape those ropes?!" Sirhc hissed, ignoring Chris's warning.

Chris smiled wryly, a drip of Shadower in it. "You told me I still had some Shadower in me. You said nothing of the rope being unaffected by Shadower powers. So, I put two and two together and got four." Chris retorted.

With a roar of anger, Sirhc sent Chris sailing into a cabinet. "Deja vu, eh Chris? Only this time there's no Bianca saving you just to get impaled!"

Chris sent his own telekinesis at Sirhc. "Don't talk about her like that! If it weren't for Wyatt killing her, you wouldn't even exist!"

"Wrong Chris! You getting kicked out, you being attacked by Fallers, you nearly dying, your last family to die by Wyatt's hand, all of that created me! You couldn't deal with it! The pain, the suffering, the torment! It overwhelmed you, and you became a Shadower! The agony you've bottled up inside is what created the Shadower in you Chris! And never forget that no matter what you do, no matter who turns back time, the Shadower will always be in you and it will haunt you forever! You'll never be rid of me Christopher! NEVER!" Sirhc ranted, adrenaline rising until black sparks danced around him.

Chris leered back with soul burning eyes. Eyes filled with wrath that was bursting to be released. A black spark danced across his clenched fist. "What doesn't kill me makes me stronger! And I've survived death twice, with no help from you!"

"It's because of me that you died! You would have never seen Wyatt care for your life if it hadn't been for me!" Sirhc countered.

"I wanted to stay dead! Both of us wanted to stay dead! It's the only thing we agree on!"

"Wrong again! We both wanted to stay dead, and we both want to save Wyatt!" Sirhc shouted.

Chris took a step back, appalled. "I thought you were lying before." he muttered, dark brown hair falling over his eyes as he avoided eye contact.

"Of course not you idiot! I'm you, and that means I still have some of the values you do! Even when we were joined we wanted to save Wyatt! Even that fool Anara could see that, but I couldn't be trusted to make a decision about ME!" Sirhc snarled.

"Because you would have refused the offer! You would have let everything go to hell and back, you would have let THEM–" Chris spared a moment to move his hand towards the ones trapped in the shield. "–know our identity! And it would have all been for nothing, all of it!"

"Well there's no worrying about Anara anymore, because she's DEAD!" Sirhc bellowed before he could stop himself.

Chris's eyes widened at this new information. "You killed her?!" he shouted in fury, his fists clenching. A drinking glass behind Sirhc exploded. But he just kept pushing.

"What was I supposed to do? Let her roam around messing around with MY fate?! Like or not Christopher, there was no way you can call yourself good if you let my fate be decided without my own consent!"

"I know I'm not good! I've killed, I've left people behind when I knew they would die, or worse! I've gotten people killed, so that more could live! That's what leaders do! I've lead thousands of people, and it meant death for anyone who wasn't able to survive! It's the way of the future, fight back or roll over and die!"

The air literally crackled as sparks flew from both Chris and Sirhc. The tension mounted between Shadower and former Shadower. The strain only rose when a folded piece of paper appeared in a haze of glitter before Chris.

"What is it?" Phoebe whispered.

"It's a letter." Chris said loudly, bending down to pick it up. He carefully unfolded the sheet of paper. He scanned the paper, growing astonishment evident as his eyes widened and his mouth slowly dropped open.

"What is it Chris?" Phoebe asked.

He looked to the Halliwells and Leo in the shield, who were staring at him as if he were a fascinating new creature. A new creature that had the look of one who could easily kill someone.

"Looks like killing Anara hasn't helped much." Chris spat acidly.

"What did she write?" Sirhc hissed.

"Wyatt's still coming."

* * *

**Thanks for the reviews everybody! Oh, and your review responses are below. :)**

**RBDFAN:** Yeah, poor Chris!

**fairyofmusic:** Thanks, glad ya like it!

**Jordan-Daniel:** **IF:** I love having a Shadower, ke.  
**Sirhc:** Dude, someone get me outta this girl's house. She's whacko!  
**IF:** Quiet or I feed you rotten tomatoes again.  
**Sirhc:** _/shuts up/_

**xcharmedgirl4evax:** Thank you!_  
_

**lizardmomma**/deadpan/ You're enthusiasm shocks me. LOL, kidding, thanks.

**MidnightLightning36:** Thanks. I love describing things, it's so much fun. I do it in my head all the time, it actually helps when you're trying to write in depth.

**Marcus1233:** Aw, sorry you didn't get the spot! Love your support, thanks for reading and reviewing! And it's very confusing when Chrois gets hurt 9well, my emotions are) cause it's so awesome, yet it sucks so badly...

**Compleatly Random Dissorder:** Dude I'm freak'n BROKE. How the hell am I supposed to survive this summer without money/looks to parents/ Oh wait, they're giving me an allowance (FINALLY) soon. COOL! Money... Gah I hate it, but I need it so freak'n badly.

**Sparrow317:** I've often wondered why we love angst so much, too. Ah well, life's mysteries...

**History Buff 1990** See ya around, hope ya liked this chappie as well.


	4. Lies

**Title:I Am Back  
Author: Captain IF****  
Posted On:** June 16th, 2007  
**Summary:** Time has been turned back, and only Chris remembers what took place. His Shadower self, Sirhc, is determined to break free of his prison inside Chris. And when he finally breaks free, Chris will end up with nothing but more torment. Sirhc knows more than he tells, and visitors from the dead and the future make things even more complicated. In the final installment of the 'Shadower Trilogy', will and power shall be tested and the fate of the universe will be decided. sequel to 'I Am Dead'  
**Note:** Sorry for the long wait, seriously. I have a ton of excuses, but I'll replace them with good news. School is over Wednesday at 10:00 AM!!!!! I also got a computer in my room, with all my files and programs! I'll try and update more often, if I can. Summer is gonna be kinda busy at times.  
**Rated For:** Language, thematic elements, cataclysmic writing, intense emotional rants, some blood/gore, and descriptive scenes of atrocities.**  
**

**_Previously... _**

_"Well there's no worrying about Anara anymore, because she's DEAD!" Sirhc bellowed before he could stop himself._

_Chris's eyes widened at this new information. "You killed her?!" he shouted in fury, his fists clenching. A drinking glass behind Sirhc exploded. But he just kept pushing._

_"What was I supposed to do? Let her roam around messing around with MY fate?! Like or not Christopher, there was no way you can call yourself good if you let my fate be decided without my own consent!"_

_"I know I'm not good! I've killed, I've left people behind when I knew they would die, or worse! I've gotten people killed, so that more could live! That's what leaders do! I've lead thousands of people, and it meant death for anyone who wasn't able to survive! It's the way of the future, fight back or roll over and die!"_

_The air literally crackled as sparks flew from both Chris and Sirhc. The tension mounted between Shadower and former Shadower. The strain only rose when a folded piece of paper appeared in a haze of glitter before Chris._

_"What is it?" Phoebe whispered._

_"It's a letter." Chris said loudly, bending down to pick it up. He carefully unfolded the sheet of paper. He scanned the paper, growing astonishment evident as his eyes widened and his mouth slowly dropped open._

_"What is it Chris?" Phoebe asked._

_He looked to the Halliwells and Leo in the shield, staring at him as if he were a fascinating new creature. A new creature that had the look of one who could easily kill someone._

_"Looks like killing Anara hasn't helped much." Chris spat acidly._

_"What did she write?" Sirhc hissed._

_"Wyatt's still coming."_

**Chapter 4: Lies**

"Good! Then we can get this cleared up once and for all! We'll find out who's really evil." Leo growled.

"You mean besides you?" Sirhc snorted. Chris threw his Shadower self a withering glance.

"Oh, and you weren't thinking the exact same thing?" Sirhc smirked. Chris avoided the eyes of everyone. His eyes instead drifted to the portal slowly opening before them on the farthest wall of the attic, only the size of a dinner plate at the moment.

"Sirhc, lower the shield!" Chris ordered.

"No way! As much as I'd love for them to get caught in the crossfire, Wyatt can't exactly kill them or there's no us, remember? That one little snag in the plan you forgot about!" Sirhc hissed.

"What if he's killed Mel and Prue? What're we supposed to do, let them die?!" Chris demanded angrily.

"YES! They died the first time, didn't they? They triggered ME. Leo and Piper are such bloody assholes that they wouldn't heal the twins. It's the way it's supposed to be!" Sirhc snarled.

"Anara turned back time to change the past, so that's what I'll do! You may have wanted to say dead but I didn't!" Chris shouted.

"EXCUSE US!" Piper, Phoebe, Paige, Leo, and Prue screamed.

"You're excused." Sirhc smirked.

"What the hell is going on here? Who are you, and what have you been blabbering about?!" Phoebe demanded.

"Do any of you know what a Shadower is?" Sirhc sighed.

They all shook their heads in response.

"Chris, you tell'em. I'm not in the mood."

"You're the Shadower! Maybe you should shed some light on what a Shadower really is!" Chris snapped back, his arms crossed over his chest.

"Fine." Sirhc spat. "A Shadower is a being who has been created from a great deal of anguish, suffering, and emotional turmoil. Shadowers can only be created when a witch or whitelighter is not in their correct time. Shadowers also cannot die unless it is their will. They also have a complicated series of powers connected through the original powers of the Shadower."

"Well done." Chris commented dryly.

"At least I'm a full Shadower!"

"Thank god, because I don't think I'd like to be one!"

"You ARE part Shadower Chris, whether you like it or not! Have you not listened to a second of my ranting?!"

"I tuned you out after I met you."

"ENOUGH!" five voices roared.

"Yup, I've had enough." Sirhc growled, and vanished in a flurry of dark orbs. The shield surrounding the Halliwells and Leo vanished, nothing to mark its time spent in the Halliwell Manor.

"SIRHC!" Chris shouted to the sky in rage.

"Let him go." Paige commanded.

Chris leered at them, disbelief evident. "You're kidding me. You wanna just let him go?!"

"Until we figure all this crap out, yes." Prue retorted.

A glow blue engulfed the farthest wall of the attic, suddenly erupting form the once small portal. A sharp intake of breath that mimicked a hiss escaped Chris as panic surged through him.

A familiar figure stepped through the glowing wall. As soon as he was out of the portal, it vanished.

Chris took a step sideways to lean on a wall for support. He held a hand to his forehead, shaking his head slowly as he let a deep sigh escape his dry lips. This was not his day.

* * *

Apologies for taking forever, and that the chapter was soooo short. But here are the review replies: Thanks a ton for'em! 

**History Buff 1990:** Glad you liked it. Sorry for keeping you waiting!

**RBDFAN:** One word says so much! Like 'Pie'...

**xcharmedgirl4evax:** Sorry for the long wait, happy you liked it!

**fairyofmusic:** Hope ya like this chapter.

**Marcus1233:** Anara's dead, and the family will receive HELL when the time comes. The confrontation, well, you'll see.

**incinera:** /glances at Sirch and Chris/ They thank you for the cookies! I'm glad you love the trilogy!

**Jordan-Daniel:** Don't worry, everything'll be answered soon enough.

**Compleatly Random Dissorder:** Oh shut up... School's almost over!!! You're not in Algebra, so YOU don't have a damn test in Math!!!

**JayneyHunter:** I'm still working on the details of the family's reactions. It will not be nice for them!


	5. Visitors

**Title:I Am Back  
Author: Za Webmaster Authoress****  
Posted On:** June 20th, 2007  
**Summary:** Time has been turned back, and only Chris remembers what took place. His Shadower self, Sirhc, is determined to break free of his prison inside Chris. And when he finally breaks free, Chris will end up with nothing but more torment. Sirhc knows more than he tells, and visitors from the dead and the future make things even more complicated. In the final installment of the 'Shadower Trilogy', will and power shall be tested and the fate of the universe will be decided. sequel to 'I Am Dead'  
**Note:** God damn it I'm close to crying... I've been out of school for nearly 6 hours but I already miss everyone. Jeez, I miss Beeley, Barons, Romanchik, (even Grassi), Mmd Joseph, Ms. Jenks, Mr. P, Mr. F, all of my teachers and especially my friends! I didn't think it would be THIS hard. Sorry I'm so depressed, but good news has come: _**SCHOOL IS OUT AND SUMMER'S HERE!!!!!!!**_  
**Rated For:** Language, thematic elements, cataclysmic writing, intense emotional rants, some blood/gore, and descriptive scenes of atrocities.**  
**

**Chapter 5: Visitors**

"Cole?!" the ones in their right time yelped.

"Yes, Cole. I'm sure you all know my name, and if you would be so kind I would like to speak with Chris." the former Source of All Evil gestured towards the shocked boy.

"Why did you come?" Chris asked softly, hastily relieving his support on the wall. He didn't want Cole to worry over him.

"Wyatt's coming."

"I knew that." Chris stated blatantly.

"How?"

"Sirhc told me. But I didn't really need him to tell me that."

"Who the hell is Sirhc?" Cole blinked, eyes narrowing in confusion.

"My Shadower self." Chris heaved a sigh.

"A Shadower? **Your** Shadower? What on Earth could have made you turn into a Shadower, let alone release the Shadower?!" Cole gaped at Chris. He had been the only one besides Paige who had believed Chris about Wyatt. The two were fairly close, and it was Cole who had taken in Chris after Wyatt turned.

"Excuse you!" Prue shouted, trying to gain attention and succeeding.

"Answer our questions!" Leo bristled with newfound vehemence as he saw Cole turn to Chris with endearment.

"Go ahead. Fire away." Chris said, looking at the room's occupants with defeat.

"Did you know I was pregnant?" Piper demanded, anger bleaching her words.

He avoided their eyes. He wouldn't cease to exist. Another thing Anara must have fixed, but he was not intent on finding out how. His only concern was getting out of this whole mess, dead or alive.

"Did you? Did you know I was going to have a mistake?" Piper seethed.

Chris snapped his head up. "A mistake?" he repeated sharply, eyes blazing with a touch of Shadower. Cole flinched.

"Yes, a mistake! Something that should've never happened!" Piper said, a tinge of hysteria snaking into her voice.

Chris's unemotional mask slipped for a moment. It took a moment to put back in place, but it was long enough for Cole to recognize pain in the boy's eyes.

"They don't know, do they?" Cole said quietly.

"No. And it's staying that way." Chris hissed.

"You let them treat you like this?! How can Piper say that to your face and you barely even bat an eyelash at it!" Cole demanded. "Cole, please stop." desperation filled Chris's tone. "I have to stop Sirhc before Wyatt comes."

"Not until you answer our questions!" Leo shouted.

"SHUT UP!" Cole barked, and was met with silence.

For a moment.

"Who do you think you are?" Piper fumed.

"Cole Turner. Now, let us go, or we'll go ourselves."

"No!" Chris said, startling them all. "I need their help to create a plan." memories of events that would never come entered Chris's mind, and he laughed lightly in remembrance. The plan to resurrect his friends, the plan to come after Chris, all of them. The memories weren't funny, but to Chris, they seemed hilariously ironic at the given time.

"What's so funny?" Paige asked.

"Nothing." Chris shook his head, and his smile vanished as reality was once again shoved in his face.

"How do we kill Sirhc?" Leo demanded, icy sharp tone causing Cole to flinch.

"I only know of one way." Chris said, eyes weary and now devoid of humor. He paused, unsure if this revelation would save his life or end it. "You kill me."

"We do what?" Cole hissed, shocked at his nephew - his powerful, caring, and sarcastic nephew - daring to reveal a plan that could have him sentenced to death by his own family.

"Kill me." Chris replied indifferently. "Kill me, you kill Sirhc. Granted it isn't entirely bound to work, since I'm fairly sure Sirhc is the only Shadower in history to have ever been separated."

_"I beg to differ."_ Sirhc hissed in Chris's mind. The boy jumped, eyes wide in panic only to find that no one was there.

_"Hey Chrissy? You listening? I'm the third to have broken away. 1 and 10 were before us. That's all I wanted to say, see ya!" _

_"SIRHC!"_ Chris shouted in his mind. He turned back to the sisters, Leo, and Cole with a sigh.

"So what do we do? Kill me or not?" Chris asked as if he were speaking of the weather. Cole winced at his casualness.

"I say we kill him. We kill two birds with one stone." Piper said, and fury rose in Cole.

"I agree." Leo nodded forcefully.

"I don't think we should." Paige said.

"Neither do I." Phoebe said quietly, her eyes fixated on Cole. She could feel the boiling rage within him, outraged at the mere suggestion of killing Chris.

"I don't care." Chris sighed honestly. It was his honesty that scared Cole more than anything else.

"_You don't care?_ Chris, what has happened to you?" Cole demanded, eyes pleading for an answer.

"Too much." Chris replied softly, eyes glazed with haunting memories of the events.

"Tell me." Cole commanded.

"There isn't time. We have to stop Sirhc before it's too late." Chris said, his tone becoming sharper.

"We're making time." Cole growled, shimmering himself and Chris out.

* * *

They were at P3, in the storeroom where it served as Chris's bedroom at times. 

"Is this where you live?" Cole demanded, gesturing to the cluttered room. Boxes were stacked as high as the ceiling, and posters were plastered against the walls. Papers and garbage littered the floor and any free space, save for the couch that was covered with a pillow and old blanket.

"Yup." Chris sighed.

"How can you let them speak to you like that! They think you're a mistake, and your mother and father were willing to kill you without hesitation!" Cole roared.

"Don't you think I know that? I've fought back suicide every day of my freak'n life as I listened to what they said to me! If it weren't for the Shadower, I might be dead now!"

"What even caused the Shadower Chris?! Tell me!" Cole commanded, grasping the younger boys shoulders. Chris averted the older man's eyes, instead staring at the floor.

"Chris. You have to tell me." Cole said, shaking him gently.

Chris swallowed the bitter tears that threatened to overwhelm him as they had done so many times before. "They hate me. God they hate me. Mom and dad want me dead. I had no one. The Team is gone, I thought you and the twins were dead." Chris choked out, careful to remain vague.

"I'm not dead." Cole assured the younger boy, hugging him tightly. Chris did not return the embrace, biting his lip to forestall the tears threatening to fall.

"We've got to stop Sirhc before Wyatt comes." Chris said, pulling away. Cole nodded mutely, obeying only to save Chris from more turmoil.

**Halliwell Manor**

"We need to remember what Sirhc and Chris said." Leo repeated for the fifth time. Sirhc watched the discussion, invisible of course, from his position near the Book of Shadows.

"Sirhc said he was created because he was kicked out, the Fallers attacked, he nearly died, and that the last of his family was killed by Wyatt's hand." Phoebe said softly, her mind still numb from the shock of Chris's emotions. Normally he was a closed book, but suddenly his emotions were free and fighting in full force.

"Chris said he didn't want us to know his identity. It could mean he's evil." Piper said.

"But both Sirhc and Chris said they wanted to save Wyatt. That doesn't sound so evil to me." Paige pointed out.

"They also said they wanted to stay dead, and that Chris survived death twice." Prue added as a counter to her statement.

"And he said in the future, he let thousand of people get killed, or sent to a fate worse than death." Piper agreed.

"No, he said he'd 'led thousands of people' that doesn't mean he let **that** many get killed." Paige attested on Chris's behalf once again.

"Why are two taking his side?!" Piper demanded, anger and hurt in her voice.

"Because I felt his emotion Piper! I felt his pain, his suffering! I don't know exactly what he's been through but I know it must have been worse than hell to have made him feel things like that! NO ONE should be in that much agony!" Phoebe shouted, voice rising in fury at the naivety and bigotry she was faced against. From her own sister nonetheless.

A blue portal opened on the farthest wall of the attic, startling the occupants. They sprang to their feet, preparing to attack.

Wyatt stepped into the attic, looking good and pure. His hair was groomed properly, and his attire no longer consisted of all black.

"Guys?" he asked timidly.

Sirhc's eyes widened and his fists clenched tightly. "That bastard."

**Chris**

"How am I supposed to do this?" Chris asked, eyes flashing with worry. He had no desire to face Sirhc, but he would anyways.

He just hoped Cole would pull through with the potion and spell.

"Where is he?" Chris asked softly to himself, and closed his eys to sense him. "At the top of the bridge," he muttered, berating himself for not knowing better. Sirhc took after Chris, after all. He orbed there, and prepared to strike out Sirhc. But what happened was too quick.

Sirhc grabbed Chris's arm with wide eyes, and in a hushed tone he spoke "Come with me." They vanished in a bolt of black lightning before Chris could even orb out.

* * *

**RBDFAN:** Oui, PIE. Gotta love pie...

**fairyofmusic:** I hope I updated quick enough, lol.

**Marcus1233:** /laughs/ Glad I have your support to make them suffer! (which they will, count on it!)

**History Buff 1990:** I feel your pain... Sing obnoxiously!! Wait... That just makes'em mad and they give you a knock-out shot. Icky. I dunno. I dunno?!?! AAAAAAAAAHHH!!!!! I DON'T HAVE AN IDEA ON HOW TO DEFEAT THE WHITECOATS/begins to panic/ Oh, thanks for the review!

**xcharmedgirl4evax:** Is this soon? Glad you like it!

**Jordan-Daniel:** Glad I'm keeping you curious/interested. Must go re-write next chapter for 7th time...

**HalliwellStabler2004:** I think they were too busy trying not to get injured/killed. But they will soon wise up. Che.. Right... Merci for the review, and today came too quickly. I'm gonna miss my teachers, 'specially Beeley. He rocked!

**Sparrow317:** /chuckles/ Don't worry, I plan on definitely finishing this trilogy.

**lizardmomma:** Thanks for the review,a nd yeah, his days have been cruddy lately.

**Compleatly Random Dissorder:** BUG?! WHERE?!?! Nvm... School's over!!!!!!!!!


	6. One

**Title:I Am Back  
Author: Za Webmaster Authoress****  
Posted On:** June 28th, 2007  
**Summary:** Time has been turned back, and only Chris remembers what took place. His Shadower self, Sirhc, is determined to break free of his prison inside Chris. And when he finally breaks free, Chris will end up with nothing but more torment. Sirhc knows more than he tells, and visitors from the future and beyond make things even more complicated. In the final installment of the 'Shadower Trilogy', will and power shall be tested and the fate of the universe will be decided. And all of it rests on Chris's final decision. (Sequel to 'I Am Dead')  
**Note:** I updated (der) and merci for all the reviews! I got my grades in, and I did awesome. My GPA for the 4th term is a 94 percent!! I aced my History and French exams (96 percent) and I got an 84 percent on my Math, meaning I'm in Geometry Regents. (I so did NOT want to take Honors.) I have enough work to do for all my subjects, ands a 20-page math packet would've killed me. Anyhoo, on with the story!  
**Rated For:** Language, thematic elements, cataclysmic writing, intense emotional rants, some blood/gore, and descriptive scenes of atrocities.**  
**

**Chapter 6: One**

Chris materialized in front of Sirhc, the icy and salty wind blowing at them from the sea.

"Come with me." Sirhc said, grabbing Chris's arm and vanishing before any of them could move.

They reappeared, invisible, in the manor's attic.

"What-" Chris was cut off by Sirhc's hand flying over his mouth. Chris tore it off, but remained silent as he watched the scene unfold.

Wyatt Halliwell stood in front of his family, looking as if he was the angel he should have been.

"Wyatt? Is that you?" Piper asked, shock registering in her trembling voice.

Chris felt a surge of bitterness rush through him. Wyatt was recognized instantly. What a surprise.

"Yeah, mom, it's me. Say, do you know where Chris is?" the blond asked kindly.

"No." Paige replied, smiling as she examined her eldest nephew.

"Why? What's wrong?" Leo demanded, though his tone was soothing and sincere.

"I need to stop him." Wyatt said.

Chris felt the emotions he had felt as a Shadower hit through him ten fold what it had ever been. The black shadow lurking in his soul washed over him. He looked at Sirhc, and the Shadower nodded. With the touch of their hands, the two had rejoined as one whole Shadower. United for their goals, Chris released his invisibility, tossing it off like a cloak.

"Wyatt." he said casually, but his eyes burned with the scorn of hell.

"Chris." Wyatt's eyes narrowed. He hadn't expect his brother to appear, and not like that. "You never had the power of invisibility before. Which witch did you kill this time?" he demanded as Chris had once done to Wyatt.

"I knew it!" Leo shouted, anger focused on Chris.

"Shut up Leo." Chris barked, sick of the accusations and assumptions.

"Don't tell him to shut up! You're lucky we didn't kill you when we had the chance!" Piper growled, hands flexing in preparation to blow him up.

"Then go ahead and try now." Chris challenged. She paused, the sureness in his voice causing her to fear for what power he possessed.

"I think I'll let Wyatt decide." his mother said icily.

Chris stood tall and his eyes remained fierce, but his mind was screaming what his heart had refused to believe.

Voices whispered for attention, pleading for him to listen.

"_You're not loved..." "They hate you..." "Wyatt was always the favorite.."_ He shoved them away for the moment.

"Guys, let me take him back to the future. The Resistance has been trying to stop him for years and years. We can make him undo all the evil he did in the future." Wyatt said, looking at his mother with begging blue eyes.

"_Don't you see Chris? This is why we have to stick together." _Sirhc taunted inside Chris's head, his voice smothering the other voices that suddenly erupted in shouts.

"_For once, you're right."_ Chris whispered. Sirhc pretended not to have heard the first two words.

"So he IS the evil one!" Prue declared.

"We trusted you. We stood up for you and it turns out you were evil all along." Phoebe seethed, her rage causing her to speak slowly and forcefully.

"Believe what you want. I don't give a shit anymore." Chris retorted.

"Then come back with me." Wyatt ordered, some of his tyranny set mind replacing his fake attitude.

"Make me." Chris jeered, letting the more impish side of Shadower take over. Or himself. It was hard to differentiate now.

"_That's because we're becoming one again. Soon there will be only Chris, the 13__th__ Shadower in all history."_ Sirhc explained with a tinge of glee blending with the iniquity.

"_Time and space, _

_open up in this place. _

_A portal to where I desire, _

_back to where the Dark Lord reigns in fire._" Wyatt chanted.

Chris laughed, sickening in itself, and with the wave of his hand, the magic was repulsed and it dissipated back into Wyatt's body.

"What-how-" Wyatt stammered, speechless for the first time in a long while.

"What's the matter Wyatt. Never dealt with a Shadower before?" Chris mocked and Sirhc joined in, making the words sound slightly demonic.

"You're a Shadower?!" Wyatt yelped, and Chris laughed at his fear and appall.

It sent chills down their spines' and rang in their ears and minds like an alarm bell.

"How did you become a Shadower?" Wyatt demanded angrily, his voice growing lower and more recollecting of his times as a Dark Lord. Chris smiled malevolently at Wyatt's growing shock, pain, and horror.

"To explain how Sirhc came to be, show him the pain within me." Chris said, and black magic struck Wyatt, forcing the older man to his knees.

"Get away from my son!" Piper roared, trying to blow Chris into oblivion and failing as the magic bounced off and dispersed as glittery magic dust.

He chuckled darkly, sadistic as he watched the pain flick over his mother's eyes at the sight of Wyatt writhing in agony. The agony Chris had suffered through. Finally, the writhing ceased and Wyatt hauled himself to a standing position.

"Get it now?" Chris hissed, glee at Wyatt's torment sweeter than honey.

"I get it." Wyatt ground out through gritted teeth.

"Who turned you?" Chris demanded, changing the subject hastily.

"Turned him? He's GOOD." Piper shouted.

"You're the evil one!" Paige agreed, hands on her hips.

"Unless you'd like to prove us otherwise." Phoebe said patronizingly.

"No thanks, I'm fine with you five making asses out of yourselves. You do it so well without any help from bystanders." Chris smirked.

"That's enough Chris." Leo growled.

"Yeah, it is enough. Wyatt, tell me who turned you." Chris commanded.

"Or what?" Phoebe snarled, vehemence in her normally soothing tone.

"Or I let Sirhc take over and show you all what a proper Shadower does." Chris said, and Sirhc laughed in their mind.

_Their_ mind. They were becoming one.

"We **are** one." Chris smirked as the last bit of Sirhc mixed together with himself.

No longer two voices in one mind and body. They were one body, one mind, one voice.

One Shadower.

"What do you mean 'We are one'?" Piper demanded.

Chris's smirk grew into a grin, a malevolent grin. His sharpened teeth gleamed, and were bared like a wolf's.

"Me and Sirhc. Remember? Well, instead of being two beings forced into one form, we're joined together as we once were. Chris the 13th Shadower. Now I'm not gonna ask again." Chris's voice grew icier as his demeanor became more serious. "Who turned you Wyatt?"

"No one turned him! He's not evil!" Leo said adamantly.

"You're the one that's evil." Prue added.

Chris turned to her, and a strike of nervousness hit her as his harsh green eyes were focused upon her.

"You think I'm the evil one? Based on what? What you've seen for the past day? You all think I'm some neurotic witchlighter from the future who's spending his time risking his life for your precious son for no reason? Why would I come back to save Wyatt, the bastard that turned my whole world into a fate worse than hell?"

"Hey!" the others objected, all for similar reasons.

"Don't call my son a bastard!" Piper roared.

"What do you mean 'a fate worse than hell'?! Only in your eyes, Christopher, is it a fate worse than hell!" Wyatt snarled, temper rising.

"Wrong Wyatt! It's in the view of five billion people, since you and your henchmen killed off the other 10 billion!" Chris shot back.

"10 billion people?" Paige repeated, shocked despite that she believed Wyatt was good.

"I can testify that it's been _over_ 10 billion people." Cole said, shimmering into the attic.

"Cole?" Wyatt's eyebrows were raised.

"Barely alive and in hell, thanks to you and your cronies." Cole shot at him.

"I've had enough of this!" Piper shouted. The sisters exchanged determined looks, and began to chant a spell.

"_Power of the witches rise,_

_find out who has told us lies,_

_Make Chris unable to lie,_

_Send us the magic across the sky._"

"That's not good." Cole muttered, and Chris snorted.

"You think that spell will work? I'm a Shadower!"

"Sirhc and you reconnected?" Cole spluttered.

"Yes."

"Chris!"

He turned his attention to the sisters, Leo, and Wyatt. "What?"

"Answer our questions." Phoebe commanded.

"Sorry, can't allow that." a deep voice stated.

They all turned to see who had spoken, none of them prepared for what their eyes would see.

* * *

**Apologies for the cliffhanger... Review responses, thanks for'em! You guys rock my socks! **

**RBDFAN:** Yesh, pie (and Cole) are very good.

**Jordan-Daniel:** Glad you like it, hope you like this chapter (and that all of your questions are answered).

**xcharmedgirl4evax:**

**History Buff 1990:** /cringes/ Please survive my nasty cliffhanger. Glad ya liked it!

**fairyofmusic:** Wait, don't die! I need to beg shamelessly for reviews from my good readers like you!

**denise:** Sorry for taking forever. Next update will be on July 7th.

**M****arcus1233** Yay, popcorn! I feel the same way, Chris doesn't deserve them. He needs someone so much better! The family will get their 'just desserts', courtesy of... Well, you'll find out. ;)

**Kitty-Witty-Kate:** Glad you like it!

**Sparrow317:** I need a good Charmed story, preferably set in season 6. I've read most of'em, and the ones I haven't I don't think I will. And don't worry, I'll be trying my hardest to get updates up a bit faster than when school was in session.

**lizardmomma:** Now does it make sense? Wyatt was just fake'n to get Chris into trouble.

**Compleatly Random Dissorder:** Merci, and oui, I miss everybody. We won't see Mel for another 2 years/sadface/

**HalliwellStabler2004:** I like Cole, not Belthasar as well. Luckily, Cole is half&half right now, power-wise. And I tried to knock Prue back into her senses in this chapter, thanks to you pointing it out. It made for a good rant.

**Skya:** lol, glad you like Chris in this fic.

**JayneyHunter:** Is this soon enough? Glad you liked it, I hope you get answers!


	7. The Seven

**Title:I Am Back  
Author: Za Webmaster Authoress****  
Posted On:** July 7th, 2007  
**Summary:** Time has been turned back, and only Chris remembers what took place. His Shadower self, Sirhc, is determined to break free of his prison inside Chris. And when he finally breaks free, Chris will end up with nothing but more torment. Sirhc knows more than he tells, and visitors from the future and beyond make things even more complicated. In the final installment of the 'Shadower Trilogy', will and power shall be tested and the fate of the universe will be decided. And all of it rests on Chris's final decision. (Sequel to 'I Am Dead')  
**Note:** Thanks for all the reviews!!! Today is the special day of 7/7/07 and I posted the 7th chapter!!! YAY/looks at chapter/ 7 is a popular number for me today, lol. And it twas exactly one year ago that Pirates of the Caribbean 2: Dead Man's Chest was released. Happy days...  
**Rated For:** Language, thematic elements, cataclysmic writing, intense emotional rants, some blood/gore, and descriptive scenes of atrocities.**  
**

**Chapter 7: The Seven**

Six people stood together, outfitted in black leather. Three women, three men, all with intense and jaded eyes. Each one had distinguishing marks, and all of them were as pale as Chris. A girl and boy had wings sprouting from their backs. Another girl had black roses and lilies all over her clothes, and one man had a very wolfish appearance. The third girl was decked in armor and weaponry, and the last man looked like the only normal one at first glance.

"Who are you?" Prue asked, eyes harsh and challenging.

"We're the Seven." they answered simultaneously.

"But there's six of you." Piper pointed out.

"Way to state the obvious." Paige muttered under her breath.

"True." a winged man admitted, smiling mischievously. He had broad, leather-like black wings that were translucent in places, except where hollow bones supported the wings. They reminded Chris of the wings on Wyatt's pet dragons.

"Down, Talbot." a blonde woman snapped, and his smile grew nastier.

"Whatever you say." Talbot said, feigning yield.

"We're here for Chris." another woman interrupted, her eyes flickering to him.

"Take'em, save us the trouble of dealing with the son of bitch." Piper offered, and Chris rolled his eyes.

"Wait! He has to come back to the future!" Wyatt argued.

"We are not dealing with this." a man growled, and the six vanished along with Chris.

"Oh shit." Cole swore.

**Downtown San Francisco**

They found themselves in an abandoned warehouse. Crates and litter were strewn about the place, only adding to the distaste of several inches of dust and grime.

"So how about it Chris? Go to the future with Wyatt, stay here to fight the Charmed Ones, or come with us." Talbot called out when they materialized.

"What happens if I join you? And what the heck is this little group of yours?" Chris asked, suspicion raised as he sensed the unmatchable power coursing through the six people before him. He had secretly been pleased he was away from his family for the time being.

"We're the Shadowers. The most powerful Shadowers ever to have traveled in time. We have six members, and you would finish the order." the auburn haired woman explained.

"Who are you?" Chris demanded.

"Well, there are many ways to answer that particular question..." Talbot grinned, and received an elbow from a winged girl.

"Fleur, fourth Shadower." Chris noticed a hint of a French accent, barely noticeable. Pin straight dark auburn hair hung down to her shoulder blades. Her eyes were greyish blue, and traced with thick black eyeliner. Small black roses were woven into a band around her wrist, and another around her neck as a collar. A belt made of black leather, black roses and black lilies was around her waist. A black rose and a black lily, both splotched with white, were tucked together in her hair. A black ivy vine snaked from her right arm up to her shoulder, to the back of her neck and down her left arm.

"Talbot, the seventh Shadower." A slight Italian accent hit Chris's ears. Talbot's dark brown hair was scruffy and slightly long, with silver eyes that resembled chips of the moon. His wings were folded back slightly like a bird's. A black leather cord hung from his neck, and from it a black nail, a white tooth, and a glittering black scale from a dragon were strung. A live black flame flickered inside a tiny glass vial that was hung on a second leather cord around his neck.

"Sable, the tenth Shadower." Her voice was hinted with a British accent. Her long black hair was streaked with grey and silver, but her pale skin reflected no lines of age or worry. Her eyes were dark indigo, flecked with silver and surrounded by black eyeliner and thick mascara. Feathery jet black wings were folded slightly, giving her a slight angel appearance. She flexed them, and Chris guessed that each wing was at least four feet wide across. Her large wings seemed to blend in with her clothing, with no sign of a rip of tear in her black leather jacket or black shirt. A staff was gripped tightly in her hands. It was made of an ash-colored wood, with black engravings covering it's body. A light blue orb swirled with black was positioned at the top of the staff.

"Nyx, The ninth Shadower." Her Scottish accent was thick, but she could've passed for an American with her looks. She had dirty blonde hair that was brimming with highlights, but no trace of dye was evident. Her eyes were greyish green, haunting and beautiful at the same time. Her armor looked like a normal outfit upon first glance, but the shining black material was too thick and too magical. She wore black fingerless leather gloves and black leather boots to match. The boots were perfect for concealing weapons, hidden by the edge of her jeans. A sword hung from its holster on her hip, and a quiver was slung across her back. Two daggers were holstered side by side on her other hip, and the gleam in her eyes made her look twice as deadly.

"Raoul, the eleventh Shadower." His accent hinted Russian, but his appearance begged to differ. His hair was shock white, with the top of his head a mix of dark grey and lighter greys. His teeth resembled a wolf's teeth when he smiled, the canine teeth jagged. Thick black nails resembled a wolf's claw, with eyes like liquid gold. A pendant hung from his neck on a leather cord, and seemed to be a miniature replica of a full yellow moon.

The last man looked relatively normal compared to his companions. Jet black hair was messy and slightly long, and some of his bangs covered pure silver eyes. He wore blue jeans, black leather boots, and a black t-shirt. A black leather frock coat made him seem more unusual, but that was outdone by a 1" diameter silver coin with the letter 'S' stamped on it. What was odd was that the 'S' seemed to disappear and then reappear at random times. "Shade. The first Shadower in all history."

"Chris, the thirteenth Shadower." Chris introduced himself with a slight smirk.

"Well, Chris. I would be very pleased if you joined our order. Your power is incredible, even without the Shadower within you." Shade smiled.

"Why did you choose me? And what is it you guys actually do?"

"One, because of your incredible abilities, as I stated before. And two, when I used my magic to become a Shadower, I created a bond to all Shadowers. Six of my fellow Shadowers would have the greatest powers imaginable, more powerful than Avatars even. _Specific_ magical abilities would be granted. For example, Fleur can create anything you need out of her flowers, and she has the element of Earth under her control. Nyx is a warrior, unbeatable and controls the power of Lightning. Each of the Seven have special talents and an elemental match. Together, we spread out our knowledge to other Shadowers, and help them in succeeding in their missions. We go time traveling to do good things, to fix time, not to screw it all up. We're not evil Chris, not by any standards."

"Very poetic." Chris said dryly, a smirk playing at his lips. "What's my talent?" he asked, curiosity that of a young child's.

"Your talent? Well it's a very special one. Your element is darkness, by the way. I have given you the powers of illusion and cure, handy tricks. With your curative powers, you can heal any wound, revive the dead, and cure any disease or illness. Illusion is like a mix of conjuring and glamour. You can create objects that will never fade unless you command it, and you can make others see what isn't there. The power of illusion is limitless." Shade explained.

"I like it." Chris announced, eyes glowing with the prospect of such power.

"Well, what do you say Chris?" Shade asked.

"I say yes."

Smirks and wicked grins spread across the other Shadowers' lips.

"On one condition."

"Oohh... Shoulda seen that one coming bossman!" Talbot jeered and snickers erupted from the others.

"I did, now shut it." Shade retorted.

"You got told." Nyx smirked at Talbot, who pouted, his wings drooping slightly.

Shade cleared his throat, and all eyes turned on Chris. "What's your condition, Chris?"

"We kill whoever turns Wyatt."

Looks were exchanged between the Shadowers, and one by one they nodded.

"Deal." Shade said.

**Halliwell Manor**

"We have to get him back!" Cole shouted.

"Why?" Phoebe demanded.

"He's gone, thank god." Piper agreed.

"Because, because, you know what, forget it! He'll kill me if I tell you. Aw, we're all dead if I don't tell you." Cole was arguing with himself, an incredibly amusing and slightly distressing sight. He took a deep breath and faced the Charmed Ones, Leo, and Wyatt. Wyatt was looking mildly entertained, the others suspicious.

"Chris..." he took another deep breath, "Is Wyatt's brother...

* * *

**Kitty-Witty-Kate:** Glad you liked it, and thanks.

**fairyofmusic:** Don't die/sweatdrop/ I need reviewers!!

**lizardmomma:** Hehe, I hope you liked the visitors.

**xcharmedgirl4evax:** Thanks, glad you like it!

**Sparrow317:** I love being evil. And I wasn't procrastinating... /shiftyeyes/

**RBDFAN:** Cole rocks. Chris is better though.

**Compleatly Random Dissorder:** Aw, you can still talk to her on my website!

**JayneyHunter:** /grins/ I pride myself in being diabolical.

**Marcus1233: **/holds up popcorn/ Nah, I got some. And I'm still in the planning pages of how to make the Charmed Ones and Leo suffer for their cruelty. Any ideas?

**denise:** I hope this was a long enough chapter, lol.

**History Buff 1990:** Nice cliche. Hope this suffices!

**MidnightLightning36:** /blushes/ Flattery gets you everywhere! Thanks a ton, so many compliments! I'm not sure if I deserve them all, but thanks! Thanks for the reviews!

**HalliwellStabler2004:** Isn't it? Glad you like it!

**Secret Thought:** lol, okay.

**Thanks for the reviews!!! I am going away on Sunday and won't be back till late Monday. I am also sicker than a dog right now. Ia lso have tons of homework, yardwork, and housework that needs to be done over the summer. Not fun. I have no idea when the next chapter will be up, but I promise it will be awesome! You guys rock my socks! _-IF_**


	8. The Show

**Title:I Am Back  
Author: Za Webmaster Authoress****  
Posted On:** August 16th, 2007  
**Summary:** Time has been turned back, and only Chris remembers what took place. His Shadower self, Sirhc, is determined to break free of his prison inside Chris. And when he finally breaks free, Chris will end up with nothing but more torment. Sirhc knows more than he tells, and visitors from the future and beyond make things even more complicated. In the final installment of the 'Shadower Trilogy', will and power shall be tested and the fate of the universe will be decided. And all of it rests on Chris's final decision. (Sequel to 'I Am Dead')  
**Note:** PLEASE READ MY AUTHOR'S NOTE AT THE END OF THE CHAPTER, THANK YOU AND ENJOY THE CHAPTER!!  
**Rated For:** Language, thematic elements, cataclysmic writing, intense emotional rants, some blood/gore, and descriptive scenes of atrocities.**  
**

**Chapter 8: The Show**

**The Warehouse**

"First things first. We kick Wyatt's ass back to the future. He'd try and stop us." Chris said.

"Leave it to me." Nyx grinned, unsheathing her sword. Chris's eyes widened slightly at the blade. It was excellently forged, and dark magic practically radiated from it. A black gemstone was encrusted into the silver hilt, and the hilt itself was carved to the appearance of lightning bolts. She waved, and vanished in a bolt of black lightning.

"As for you two." Shade turned to Talbot and Sable, who waved happily in response. "I'd like you to see if you can find out something from any demons. I don't think you'll have any trouble convincing them you need information."

The two winged Shadowers exchanged wicked grins. Their wings adopted a silver glow, and they spread their wings and took off into the air. Barely two inches off the ground, they vanished in a blur.

"Raoul." Shade looked at the man, who was sitting on a discarded crate. "Go talk to your animal friends, preferably the magic ones. See if you find anything in the rumor mill."

Raoul laughed, and his body suddenly morphed into a wolf in the blink of an eye. Chris took a step back, startled. The creature before him was huge, its spine reaching Chris's waist. The wolf before him was a dark grey and white, with piercing golden eyes. With a bark he disappeared with no flashy effects.

"Fleur." the first Shadower swiveled to the girl, and found her sitting on a crate and examining her nails.

"_Oui_?" she asked nonchalantly, sparing a moment to look at him before returning to her nails.

"I need you to use your powers to create a truth potion. Make sure it can be tossed at someone's feet to have it work. I also would like an antidote for Chris to eliminate the effects of the truth spell they placed upon him."

Fleur nodded. "As_ tu_ wish, _monsieur_." and black vines suddenly swirled around her and she disappeared.

"Do they all have a special vanishing act, besides Raoul?" Chris asked with a small laugh.

"Raoul chose not to be too flashy today, unlike the others, who love to show off. They have two ways to travel, besides flying in Sable and Talbot's case. Teleportation with no flashy effects, or a flamboyant vanishing act that is linked to their special abilities." Shade explained. "Try it out."

Chris nodded reluctantly, but in an instant, he had vanished with no showy effects. He reappeared a meter away.

"Think flashy." Shade suggested, and Chris sighed before trying again.

A black fog swirled over Chris.

"Keep going." Shade urged him. Chris opened his mouth to respond, but a bolt of lightning cut him off.

"They know." Nyx hissed.

**Halliwell Manor**

"That's insane!" Piper shouted, denial the instant reaction. "You're lying!"

Nyx, hidden from sight due to invisibility, watched with growing rage. This woman had no right to be Chris's mother. Chris deserved so much better.

"Christopher Perry Halliwell." Cole informed them.

Nyx vanished without any flamboyant effects, off to tell Shade and Chris of the revelation.

"Wyatt?" Phoebe looked to her nephew with narrowed eyes. "Is he telling the truth?"

"Yes." Wyatt sighed, mentally unsure if he was doing the best thing.

"He can't be our son!" Piper yelped, eyes wide with panic.

"Are you pregnant?" Cole asked, venom lacing his voice.

"Yes." she answered softly, averting her eyes from his hateful gaze.

"Then he's your son." Cole snarled, coldness meeting anger in a bitter clash.

"Wyatt. Are you really evil?" Paige inquired, trying to change the subject.

"For the millionth time, there is no_ bien_ or _mal_!" Wyatt shouted, exasperated.

"Why did you just speak French?" Prue demanded with a bewildered look.

"The capital of my Empire is in France, and I spent two years of high school there. The French tend to rub off on you."

"Interesting." Paige snapped sarcastically.

"I found him." Wyatt stated, and without any time for anyone to object, shimmered them all to the warehouse.

Chris, leaning on a stack of crates while standing atop of a single one, grinned at their arrival.

"Chris!" Cole cried, shocked at his new appearance. Hair that was so brown it neared black covered dark emerald eyes. The tips of Chris's swept bangs were shock white. A hooded cloak wrapped itself around him, hiding some of his black shirt. Blue jeans hid black leather boots, but nothing hid the black fingerless leather gloves on his hands. Around his neck hung a leather cord, and on it a pendant in the shape of a black triquatra was attached. An 'S' was hidden in the center of the symbol.

"Chris, the Dark Illusionist at no one's service." the Shadower grinned, sweeping a mocking bow.

"Nyx, the Lightning Warrior." the blonde smirked, unsheathing her sword atop a stack of crates.

"Fleur, the Earth Commandant." Fleur sat on top of several crates, and black vines hastily covered the crates.

"Talbot, the Fire Dragon." he was hovering towards the ceiling, looking below with a nasty grin.

"Raoul, the Water Wolf." Raoul barked in wolf form, prowling around the warehouse. The non-Shadowers tensed up, the situation hastily increasing in danger.

"Sable, the Air Angel." she was poised at the tallest stack of wooden crates, her wings spread wide and her staff was clenched tightly in her hand.

"Shade, the First Shadower." he smiled icily at their audience, appearing in the middle of the room.

"Who are you? What did you do to Chris?" Phoebe demanded, her voice shaking with fear and rage.

"The Seven." Shade smirked.

"And nothing I didn't want." Chris added, casting a sharp look to her.

"What have they done?" Paige tried, her voice firm and her jaw clenched.

"Made me a part of The Seven. As I said, I'm an Illusionist with the power of Darkness." Chris replied.

"What's an Illusionist?" Piper growled, her patience wearing thin. She was still in defiance that Chris was her son.

"You'd like to know, wouldn't you?" Chris smirked.

"Duh!" Phoebe retorted.

"Hey, Nyx. Why don't you and Wyatt see who can win in a swordfight?" Chris laughed, changing the subject.

"My pleasure." Nyx smirked, jumping down from her place and facing Wyatt in a fighting stance. "What's the matter Wy? Scared of me?" she taunted.

Wyatt summoned Excalibur, and gave Nyx a confidant smile. "Excalibur against THAT sword? It's no contest."

"You're right, it's no contest at all." Nyx grinned. "Make your move."

Wyatt swung his sword towards her, and she brought her own sword up in the nick of time. The metallic ringing made the Shadowers cringe, their enhanced senses picking up the highest of frequencies.

"You think you can beat me, Twice Blessed Tyrant?" Nyx jeered, parrying his next blow with ease.

"She's not even trying." Phoebe whispered, half in awe, half in horror.

"You're right." Prue nodded, watching Nyx parry each blow that was struck.

"This is getting old." Nyx sighed, and dove her sword under Excalibur, pushed up, twirled to Wyatt and disarmed him. She dropped to the floor and knocked his feet out from under him, then stood up. She pointed her sword's tip to his throat.

"Still think Excalibur can beat my sword?"

"What's her sword's name?" Leo wondered, curiosity overwhelming the fact that Wyatt had been beaten with such ease.

"Nemesis." she replied, sheathing the sword.

"Fleur, your turn." Shade called out, and she happily responded. She jumped into the air, and black vines sprung up to form a pillar to support her. The black vines crawled around the warehouse, and bound the Charmed Ones, Leo, Cole, and Wyatt.

"What are you doing?" Prue demanded, struggling.

"What does it look like?" Chris laughed. "We're binding you, moron!"

"Hey!" the sisters objected, but their cries were ignored.

"_Why_ are you doing this?" Leo demanded, realizing that the current game was one of words.

"Well, first we need to send Wyatt off to the future so he can't stop us. And then we're sending Prue back to the Afterlife so she can't stop us, and then we're sending Cole through a different time portal so he doesn't get killed by Wyatt AND so he can't stop us." Chris answered with appalling impassivity.

"Talbot, would you do the honors?" Shade inquired, and the winged man flew down from his perch to the trapped ones. He floated a few inches of the ground, as if taunting them.

"Through time and space, send three portals to this place, one to the Afterlife for dearest Prue, and to the future I would prefer two for two."

Three portals all roughly the size of an entrance to a sewer appeared on the floor in front of him. One was grey and cloudy, the other two blue with sparks of magic flittering through and across it. Flashes of the future could be seen every few seconds across the blue portals, while the cloudy portal remained unwilling to divulge the world of the Afterlife.

"Fleur." Shade commanded, and the French Shadower sighed.

"_Oui monsieur_."

The vines released Wyatt, Cole, and Prue.

"We're not going through those portals!" Prue shouted in defiance, crossing her arms.

"Oh yes you are. Sable!" Shade looked up to the girl. She spread her wings and leapt from the crate, soaring down behind the trio. She held up her staff several feet above the trio, and light burst from the orb. Wind sudden blew through the warehouse, defeating science with magic. It up dirt and circled the area below her feet.

"Chris, you think you can help direct them to their correct portals?" Sable asked as wind suddenly swept towards Wyatt, Cole, and Prue with a slight movement of her scepter.

"Of course." Chris grinned, holding out his hand. The wind picked up till it was a billowing gale, right into the backs of Cole, Wyatt, and Prue. The trio were forced to step forward. Cole shimmered out, as did Wyatt. Prue was not so lucky, and she was forced to step into the portal. It vanished with a 'plink' like a coin being dropped into a glass jar. The wind died down, and the other two portals remained.

"Prue!" Piper shouted, trying to move forward. Fleur's vines held her back, and then tightened slightly. In anger, Piper blew up a section of the vines. Fleur cried out in pain, the vines obviously connected to her.

"Hey!" the other Shadowers objected, changing into aggressive stances.

Cole and Wyatt reappeared atop the vines, and Wyatt shot a fire ball into a mass of vines. Fleur cried out again, and the Shadowers wasted no time acting. Fleur retracted her vines in a split second. Chris was healing Fleur's burns and the large wound on her arm. A thin line of black flames erupted around Wyatt, the Charmed Ones, Leo, and Cole till it formed a circle, courtesy of Talbot. Nyx had created a sort of electric fence that was woven above the line of fire. Raoul had transformed into a human, and ice had sprung up to form a physical barrier just after the fire and lightning. Sable and Talbot has flown above the lightning wall, terminating an aerial escape. It occurred in a thirty-second time span, leaving no time for any of the victims to react.

Fleur, now healed, made the motion to attack.

Chris pulled her back. "No them, no future, remember?" he warned, spitting the words out like they left a bitter taste.

"I think it's time we take this battle elsewhere. We can't risk exposing magic, or harming anyone but Wyatt. And if need be, Cole." Shade said.

"So where do we take them?" Nyx asked, twirling her dagger skillfully as she eyed the remaining trapped ones.

"To our plane." Shade said, his voice an odd mix of cheer and sadism.

Grins spread across the faces of The Seven. All looked eager to go to the one place they truly belonged.

* * *

**I'm sorry but, I'm not doing review replies this chapter. **

**TO ALL MY REVIEWERS AND READERS:  
**

**Thank you tons. Seriously. You ROCK. I'm reallyreallyreallyreallyreally sorry about taking over a month to update, but I have been swamped with over-the-summer-homework for honors classes, I took a course at my local college in screenplay writing, I was sick for a while, and I'm under a ton of pressure. I will try my absolute hardest to finish this story by Sept. 8th, because I want it to be my salute to summer's end (for me at least). I'm incredibly sorry for not replying to your reviews. Sorry for the cliffhanger, but it's late and I'm feeling really crappy. Please forgive me, I promise to update soon. I think I'll get 2 or 3 more chapters out of this story. Thank you for your support. I promise, I will do review replies in the next chapter. Thank you all for understanding, I promise the next chapter will knock your socks off. **

_**-IF**_


	9. The Shadower Plane

**Title:I Am Back  
Author: Za Webmaster Authoress****  
Posted On:** September 24th, 2007  
**Summary:** Time has been turned back, and only Chris remembers what took place. His Shadower self, Sirhc, is determined to break free of his prison inside Chris. And when he finally breaks free, Chris will end up with nothing but more torment. Sirhc knows more than he tells, and visitors from the future and beyond make things even more complicated. In the final installment of the 'Shadower Trilogy', will and power shall be tested and the fate of the universe will be decided. And all of it rests on Chris's final decision. (Sequel to 'I Am Dead')  
**Rated For:** Language, thematic elements, cataclysmic writing, intense emotional rants, some blood/gore, and descriptive scenes of atrocities.  
**Note:** I am really sorry for not updating in a bumillion days. I actually replied to your reviews, so be happy! Also, any suggestions for what happens in chapter 10 would be greatly appreciated, for my writer's block is killing me. My headphones are pissing me off, only one side of them work. Anyhoo, just one more thing:

**IF:** 100 REVIEWS?!?!?!?!?! I LOVE YOU GUYS SO MUCH!!!!!!!!  
**IF:** _(faints after severe hysterical hyperventilation)_  
**Sirhc:** _(panics)_ IF?! Damnit IF wake up you insane authoress!  
**IF:** _(ignores)_ Mufph.  
**Sirhc:** _(still frantic)_ How many Shadowers do you see?  
**IF:** _(pauses) (blinks)_ One incredibly hott one. But we need more! BRING'EM ON!  
**Sirhc:** --;;;  
**IF:** _(ignores, now searching for hott Shadowers) _

**_Review replies: _**

**RBDFAN:** I know. I think they're my favorite creation in a long while:)

**Marcus1233:** Bingo. You mess with Fleur's plants, she gets hurt. Mess with Chris's illusions, it hurts him a little. It's just a few Shadowers who have connections to their powers physically, because only a few have powers that can actually be harmed.

**JayneyHunter:** You'll love this chapter then. We get to meet the other 6 Shadowers. You have no idea how long it took me to give each Shadower a characterstic, ethnicity, name, title, and power. Ai yi yi.

**lizardmomma:** Thanks, glad you like it. As for my personal life, it's been... Interesting. Half bad, half good.

**MidnightLightning36:** Thanks, it's nice to see I have understanding reviewers. Turns out my illnesses have been allergies. I get to have shots, after the 79 they already did to see what I was allergic to. (fun, eh?) Thanks a bunch for understanding, it means a lot!

**Compleatly Random Dissorder:** How's school going? You haven't posted in the cBox on the Insanity Zone in a while, I was gett'n worried. Hope things are going okay at your new school. And yes, I have noticed I never manage to get my deadlines in on time.

**denise:** I think you should post a story. And trust me, I'm not all that great of a writer, but thank you for the compliment. As for the reviews, you guys rock already. THANK YOU! As for posting stories, go for it. I didn't get the followers I have now because I never shared my work. I'm worried all the time about what people will think about my work, but the truth is, as long as you like it, that's all that matters. The author writes for themself first, others second. Why? Because it's the author's opinion of their own work that matters more.

**Cassie Sandsmark:** Hmmm. Very good questions, most of which I have a straight answer to. Wyatt is still evil, that I'm sure about. Sirhc is pronounced 'Sir-kuh' (like 'Cirque' in Cirque de Soleil) As for the names, I use 20000-names(dot)com. It's got a lot of cool names and their meanings. If you look up all the names for the Shadowers (minus Chris/Sirhc and Shade) each of the Shadower's names have a cool meaning to it.Uh, possibly a few more brotherly love moments, but with Chris becoming a fully fledged Shadower (which actually must have a ceremony and a whole rechristening thing) I don't see Wyatt and Chris having a true heart-to-heart.

**HalliwellStabler2004:** 0.0 no idea. I have never even heard of a leger, but I'll ask my friends and get back to you on that.

**_Also thanks to my other reviewers:_ **fairyofmusic,xcharmedgirl4evax, Sparrow317, Kitty-Witty-Kate, and InsaneGiggles. YOU GUYS ROCK!

* * *

_Last time..._

_Fleur, now healed, made the motion to attack._

_Chris pulled her back. "No them, no future, remember?" he warned, spitting the words out like they left a bitter taste._

_"I think it's time we take this battle elsewhere. We can't risk exposing magic, or harming anyone but Wyatt. And if need be, Cole." Shade said._

_"So where do we take them?" Nyx asked, twirling her dagger skillfully as she eyed the remaining trapped ones._

_"To our plane." Shade said, his voice an odd mix of cheer and sadism._

_Grins spread across the faces of The Seven. All looked eager to go to the one place they truly belonged._

**Chapter 9: The Shadower Plane**

Shade transported them all with a snap of his fingers. The Shadower Plane was not what the Charmed Ones, Leo, Wyatt, nor Cole would have ever expected. They were on a black marble slab fifty feet by fifty feet. Milky white wisps snaked through the marble, and in glowing silver, the names of all the Shadowers flickered around the border of the slab. What was even more odd, was that houses from all time periods, from castles to brick houses, surrounded the border of the slab. A silver pike with a solid sheet of aluminum had the name of the resident imprinted on it. In smaller imprint, it also said the date of birth, the date of becoming a Shadower, the date they moved to the Shadower Plane, and the number Shadower they were.

A blue sapphire, a green emerald, and a red ruby each the size of a baseball were inlaid at the base of the silver pikes. In black writing, the word 'Home' were printed on top of the sapphire, the word 'traveling' on the emerald, and the word 'trouble' on the ruby. Six of the homes had a fourth purple amethyst, that stated 'recruiting'. This was obviously for members of The Seven.

"Chris, you'll be able to create your home once this is all through." Shade told the younger man, his tone gentle. This did nothing to reassure anyone but the rest of The Seven that he was undoubtedly 'good'.

"Right now I'm not concerned with what happens when we're done with this, I'm more concerned with how we'll finish this damn thing." Chris growled.

"And how the hell are ve supposed to do zat?" Fleur snorted.

While The Seven continued to talk, Cole suddenly had an idea. He shimmered out of the plane, much to the shock of everyone around him.

"How the bloody hell did he do that?!" Sable screeched, the once windless Shadower Plane now alive with roaring winds.

"Peace Sable." Shade commanded, and she obeyed. The winds vanished. "It seems that Cole has gotten a little better at escaping planes since his resurrection. No matter." Shade turned to the Charmed Ones, Leo, and Wyatt. "We did not bring you here to kill you, torture you, or fight you. But we will if we have to, take that into very careful consideration. The reason we brought you here was to stop you from meddling with our plans." he walked over to his home, an illustrious stone castle.

Instead of having four gems, he had five around the base of his sign. The fifth was black obsidian. The words 'Summon' were written in silver. He knelt down in front of it, placed his hand on it, and closed his eyes. The black gem suddenly lit up. All the gems in the Shadower Plane suddenly lit up, casting a spectrum of beautiful colors upon them all. And as the lights from the gems grew brighter, Shadowers from across time and space began to appear through various methods of transportation.

Six people, all with distinguishable characteristics, had appeared barely three inches from the border of the marble slab. Four women, two men.

"What's going on, Shade?" asked a woman with tousled red hair and a thick Irish accent. Trinkets from all over the world, and all over different times, covered her attire. Her clothes also ranged from different regions and eras.

"Peace, Maeve." Shade said.

"We were busy, Shade. What is so important that our work had to be stopped?" asked another woman, a Spanish accent painfully obvious. She had black hair, and pale skin with a faintly tanner coloration than normal.

"Lolita, do not question me, not now. I need babysitters." Shade said.

"And you needed all of us, to do this?" Lolita demanded, hands on her hips.

"No, not all of you. I need the rest of you to help me stop Wyatt Halliwell from becoming the Dark Lord." Shade growled, his patience thinning.

"Fine. But who will stay, and who will go?" asked a man with a Dutch accent.

"And who exactly are we guarding?" asked an Egyptian woman.

Shade jerked his chin towards Leo, the Charmed Ones, and Wyatt. "Them. Here's what we shall do. Petrus, and Maeve, stay here and watch over them with me. The rest of you will go off to track down who turns Wyatt. Should you find anything at all, report back to me here. I will be devising a plan on how we can stop whoever turns Wyatt. If you do find who turns him, under no circumstances are you to fight them. Any of you. When we find who turns Wyatt, we will all go together. This person may be more powerful than any of us, which is why I will not risk any of you being sent to death. I know that we can't truly die, but a Shadower stuck in limbo while they wait to be brought back is one less Shadower helping. But first, I would like to introduce you to Chris, American Dark Illusionist, 13th Shadower and final member of The Seven." Shade pointed to Chris, who was grinning.

Lolita whipped off the black leather wide brimmed fedora-like hat off of her head and bowed dramatically. "Lolita, the Spanish Thief, and 6th Shadower. It is a pleasure to meet you." Her wavy black hair was barely a few inches above her waist. She was wearing black leather boots, ratty and torn leather gloves, a black leather vest, a very loose-sleeved white shirt like a pirate's, black cargo pants, and a surplus of silver jewelry. A knife was holstered at her hip.

"Maeve, the Irish Collector an' 5th Shadower." fine and thin bright orange hair was cut to barely past her shoulders, with straight bangs covering her forehead. She was wearing blue jeans, which were half-covered by a black leather skirt with skulls and bones. A black shirt was covered with buttons, pins, and other random things. Memorabilia was attached to her hair, slung around her waist and neck and wrists, attached to a thick belt, clinging to her jeans and the skirt, and all over her body. She even had tattoos and funky earrings. Her eyes were a swirl of green, orange, and grey. A multitude of small weapons were amid the collection, all of them daggers, knives, or athames. Even vials of potions attached to chains hung around her neck and waist.

A woman with odd colored hair bowed as low as she could. "Airlea, the Greek Messenger, 2nd Shadower." Her hair was a mix of silver, grey, and white, with several black streaks throughout it. Small, white, feathery wings sprouted from her shoulder blades. She was wearing black jeans, a loose black shirt, and silver wristbands. A black messenger bag with the Shadower 'S' printed along it was slung on her left shoulder, and the bag rested on her right hip. Black converse sneakers served as her shoes, small white wings attached to the ankles of them. Thirteen solid silver feathers were clipped to her black belt, like darts. Black, white, and grey feathers were strewn in her hair.

"Isis, the Egyptian Forger, 3rd Shadower." Curly black-indigo hair fell over a black leather shirt. She was wearing black jeans with a slit to reveal knee-high black leather boots. Her accessories were silver bangles, silver hoop earrings, and an intricate silver circlet. Her skin was slightly tanned, unusual for a Shadower. Her icy blue eyes brought out the blue in her hair, despite the fact they were swirled with black. A belt made of solid black leather held a beautifully forged dagger. The hilt was solid silver, and the blade was black diamond. Her hands were clad in leather gloves, rough from her work as the weapon forger for Shadowers.

"Cadeyrn, the Celtic Protector and 8th Shadower." said a man with messy black hair. His eyes were a swirl of grey and vibrant green. He wore black jeans and black leather boots, where a dagger was discreetly sheathed. A handgun was holstered on one hip, an athame on the other. His shirt was made of a shiny black material, much like the material Nyx was wearing. A rifle was slung across his back, and he wore fingerless black leather gloves and a black leather jacket. A miniature silver shield was clasped on a band around his left wrist. The other Shadowers knew it could transform into a full-sized shield at Cadeyrn's command.

"Petrus, the Dutch Phantom and 12th Shadower." His eyes were neon green, and his hair was shock white with several wisps of black. He was wearing black jeans, a black shirt, and black Converse sneakers. An emerald 'S' (again the Shadower symbol) mixed with white opal served as a pendant on a silver chain around his neck. A slight white-green glow illuminated his eyes. He was also wearing black gloves, which also emanated a strange colored glow. He appeared completely unarmed.

"Are we all done introducing ourselves?"

There was no reply to Shade's growl.

"Good, then let's go!" he commanded, and all the Shadowers minus himself, Petrus and Maeve vanished in various ways.

"Feel free to wander around. Our world is very - ah - _interesting_." Shade told his captives, a gleefully vicious grin spreading across his face.

Since it seemed obvious they weren't leaving anytime soon, they all decided to follow his suggestion. They stuck together, a fear of the unknown in this world striking them down to their cores. They read each of the signs for each of the Shadowers. Only three sapphires were lit: for the others, the emeralds were lit up. Maeve, and Petrus watched them carefully, for Shade had retreated to his castle to work out a plan.

"Now what? It's not like we can go inside their homes." Phoebe muttered after they had finished.

Petrus grinned and walked over to them. "I'll let you in on a little secret." he pointed to a road made of black dirt that snaked in between Shade's castle and Airlea's Greek-architecture inspired home. "That road will take you to the rets of the Shadower Plane. You honestly didn't think that this was it, did you?"

At their stunned faces, he snorted and walked back to Maeve.

"Should we go?" Paige asked.

"I don't see why not, it's not like we have anything better to do." Wyatt commented dryly, before his tone turned harsh and cold. "Besides, I'd like to see where the world of the people my brother chose over his family."

* * *

**Please ignore the following rant:** _I hate parents. Seriously. The harping to clean my disaster zone of room (which is their fault, because they told me I had to completely organize, clean, get rid of all crap, and completely revamp my room) is getting on my nerves. As if I don't have enough to worry about with my friends (each one seems to be giving me a new worry/headache every day) my homework (why do all the smart kids, such as myself, get stuck with all the extra homework while the idiot/lazy kids get none? IT MAKES NO SENSE!) life worries (again, blame my parents) and the constant nagging/yelling is more than enough, and now I have even more harping. I mean it, everything I say is either 1) rude 2) sarcastic 3) both 4) inappropriate 5) immature. I CAN'T WIN!_

Sorry, I really needed to vent. thanks again for all the reviews, you guys all kick so much ass it should be illegal. Also, a quick reference guide for you all:

**The Shadowers (1-13): **

**Lolita the Spanish Thief  
Airlea the Greek Messenger  
Isis the Egyptian Forger  
Maeve the Irish Collector  
Cadeyrn the Celtic Protector  
Petrus the Dutch Phantom  
Fleur the French Earth Commandant  
Nyx the Scottish Lightning Warrior  
Sable the British Air Angel  
Talbot the Italian Fire Dragon  
Raoul the Russian Water Wolf  
Shade the First  
Chris the American Dark Illusionist**


	10. TickTock

**Title:I Am Back  
Author: Za Webmaster Authoress**  
**Posted On:** November 10th, 2007  
**Summary:** Time has been turned back, and only Chris remembers what took place. His Shadower self, Sirhc, is determined to break free of his prison inside Chris. And when he finally breaks free, Chris will end up with nothing but more torment. Sirhc knows more than he tells, and visitors from the future and beyond make things even more complicated. In the final installment of the 'Shadower Trilogy', will and power shall be tested and the fate of the universe will be decided. And all of it rests on Chris's final decision. (Sequel to 'I Am Dead')  
**Rated For:** Language, thematic elements, cataclysmic writing, intense emotional rants, some blood/gore, and descriptive scenes of atrocities.  
**Note:** I am really sorry for not updating in a bumillion days. I lost my writer's block, so thank you iPod, Sapphire Noire, Sirhc, Sir Max-Of-Well, Inky, Bob, AG, Captain, Elva, and Elle for their help. And to answer your question, they are my muses & voices. A note on the Spanish: I take French, not Spanish, so I used a translator. Sorry if it's grammatically incorrrect or whatever, but I only know English, Bad English, and a bit of French and Quenya/Sindarin. /grins insanely/ Hey, look, I posted the tenth chapter on the tenth. I wish I could've done it on Halloween (that would've been cool) but I just got rid of my block today. Yeah, bad writing times for me, until now. So, SQUEE! Anda general review response:

_**Hehe, thanks for listening to my rants everybody. I love to complain, it's my outlet for fury, lol. As for the Gideon thing, well, he's not really a concern for everyone so much right now. Thanks for all the suggestions guys, but once my muses got ideas all suggestions except for having a bit more of the native-language thing I kind of ignored. Don't worry, I am taking all suggestions/criticism to heart and I promise to try and tie up loose ends and refer to the internal conflicts of the characters in the next few chapters. And guess what? There's gonna be an EPILOGUE at the very end of the story. There's a lot to come, and my goal is to finish this story by 2008. THANKS FOR THE REVIEWS GUYS I LOVE YOU ALL!**_

**Chapter 10: Tick-Tock**

**Lolita, Sable, & Airlea**

"So, where should we check for this oh-so-powerful person?" Lolita asked her fellow Shadowers, rolling her 'r's eccentrically.

"You're the thief. If someone wanted to steal the child of a Charmed One, how would they do it?" Airlea retorted as they wandered the Underworld.

"Well, seeing as I have the power to take on the Charmed Ones _and_ their pitiful Elder-"

"I asked for what someone besides an all-powerful Shadower would do, Lolita. Don't let your ego get as big as a mortal's."

Lolita pouted, crossing her arms over her chest. "No need to get snippy."

"Behave, you two. We've got a troublemaker to kill." Sable reminded them. Wicked glee sprung into the shape of grins on Airlea and Lolita's faces.

"Well,_donde están supusimos mirar_?" Lolita demanded.

"Stop it Lolita, just because we can understand all tongues doesn't mean you have to speak in Spanish all the time." Airlea growled.

"Enough. To answer Lolita's legitimate question, I have no idea where to look." Sable stated.

"I vote for-" Airlea's suggestion was cut short by the very sudden and very dramatic appearance by Shade. The darkening sky and the rolling of thunder accompanied by a black flash was very hard to miss.

"Come back. Now, there isn't much time."

**The Shadower Plane - The Shadowers  
**

"Shade, this is stupid, you sent us out there and now you drag our sorry asses back before we can do anything!" Isis growled, hand tightly gripped around the hilt of a dagger at her side.

"I have a good reason." Shade snapped, glaring at the twelve Shadowers assembled before him. All of them looked annoyed, but anxious for news of why that had been summoned to return.

"What is that reason?" Talbot inquired, eyes narrowed as he voiced the question they all wanted an answer to.

Shade gave him a harsh and withering look. He didn't seem fazed. Shade, however, looked incredibly distressed as he hissed out the answer.

"The clocks have stopped."

* * *

**The Shadower Plane - Piper, Paige, Phoebe, Leo, and Wyatt**

"What the hell is with this place?" Piper grumbled as she stumbled over yet another tree root. The trees were covered in black bark, most of the branches bare. Some trees had silver leaves growing on them, and metallic silver fruits that appeared to be like peaches or apples.

"I'm hungry." whined Paige, her stomach rumbling.

"Me too." agreed Phoebe. It had been a long while since any of them had eaten, and now it was taking it's toll on them.

"Eat a fruit." Piper suggested in a heated tone.

"It might be poisoned." Wyatt pointed out darkly, the leader of the expedition.

"Well, then, _Leo_..." Paige shouted the Elder's name, which was unneeded as he was only a foot behind her.

"I'm right here Paige. And no, I will not eat the fruit to test it out." Leo growled as he ducked his head under a branch.

Paige, hunger erasing any trace of reason, hoisted herself up on a large boulder, and snatched one of the fruits. Before anyone could stop, she took a bite of it. The inside of it was shock white, the juice white and creamy like milk.

"This is sooooooo good." Paige said through a mouthful of the fruit.

They all stared at her, incredulous at her daring feat. She finished off the fruit, and was pleasantly surprised to find that it contained only blood red seeds that were edible, and no rock hard pits.

"That was really good guys. You should try one." Paige commented.

"No effects?" Wyatt asked suspiciously, as if Paige was the one with trust issues.

"You mean besides the fact that my hunger has been defeated? No, none."

Wyatt bit his tongue, trying to remain calm. It would do no good to killed anyone now, except for maybe those damned Shadowers.

_Crack._

Everyone froze at the sounds of a twig breaking. All nonsense was stopped as they all tensed their muscles, the fear of this unknown world making their heart rates increase rapidly.

A figure leaped down from the trees right in front of Wyatt. He stumbled back, and the others did the same. Defense positions were taken at the sight of an unknown threat.

The figure was more of a creature, and an odd creature at that. It had the body of muscular horse, but the claws of large cat. It's tail was like a wolf's, as was it's face. However, two large wings sprouted from its shoulder blades. One was feathery and black, while the other was like a black dragon's wing, with a very membrane-like quality. Its white canine teeth were saber-like, and its ears were like a cat's. It looked strangely magnificent.

"What non-Shadower dares to enter these woods, and eat the fruit of Fleur the Fourth?" the creature growled, it's voice hauntingly human. It had a low male pitch, with the unmistakable tinge of an animal's snarl mixed in.

"The Charmed Ones, Lord Wyatt, and Leo the Elder. Who are you?" Wyatt growled, sounding much braver than he actually felt. This was the twice occurrence of fear in his heart in recent times. Once when he had seen the new Chris, and of course now.

"Sevlow, and I am the Guardian of the Woods! Now begone, or face the wrath of this forest and all its inhabitants." Sevlow snarled, baring his large and jagged teeth.

"No." Wyatt replied simply.

A chilling, demonic laugh emanated from Sevlow. "As you wish." Sevlow suddenly vanished, fading away like a shadow in a slowly rising light. His laugh echoed in the wood air, and sent chills down the intruder's spines. The primal instinct in each of their minds was screaming to run, but nothing was happening to tell their conscious mind to such.

But it didn't take long for Sevlow's threat to hold true. Black birds, the size of American Eagles, solid black and with shrieks for calls, swooped from the sky and rested on the tree branches. More of the birds arrived, simply staring at the intruders, some blood red and some silver. Small black and blood red squirrels emerged, gathering next to giant black wolves. Black horses and blood red horses also came, with hooves like liquid silver and some with feathery wings to match their coats. Small black house cats with bright yellow eyes squished their tails back and forth, eyes gleaming. The final creatures to arrive were miniature dragons, most of them black, but also in a large variety of colors. They looked almost cute, but when one spotted their claws and teeth, and the bright flames erupting in short bursts from their snouts, most of the cuteness factor was overruled.

"Oh fuck." all five intruders swore, staring at the unnatural beasts.

"What are they?" Phoebe breathed, watching with wide eyes.

"The inhabitants of The Shadower Woods." Sevlow answered, fading into place in front of them.

"_Tick-tock, tick-tock."_ a disembodied voice whispered through the silence, sending panic through the five intruders' minds. It didn't sound like Sevlow, or any of the Shadowers.

"Get'em." Sevlow barked suddenly, but his voice sounded high from panic or fear.

A ripple of animal cries erupted, most of them bearing only slight resemblance to their Earthen counter parts. A single black cat hissed and lunged forward, which was like the bolt on a gate. The creatures surged forward, lunging and diving for the intruders with strategic rage.

Piper, Leo, Paige, Phoebe, and Wyatt ran, knowing of nothing else to do. Orbing did not work on this plane, Wyatt had figured out when he tried. So they ran for their lives, fear pumping adrenaline into their systems and not allowing for exhaustion. They ran and ran, and occasionally a creature would catch up and cause an injury and Wyatt would telekinetically throw it away. They escaped the woods to the boundary line, where all the animals suddenly stopped. The intruders were gone from their woods, and that was all that nattered to them. The others would take care of them should the need arise, but the intruders knew nothing of this. All they knew was that they were safe for the time being.

They collapsed, the adrenaline wearing off and giving way to a mental and physical crash.

"This place in insane." Paige managed to gasp out between heaving breaths.

"Agreed." Phoebe heaved.

* * *

"The clocks have stopped?" Cadeyrn hissed, "As in completely stopped?" 

"Did I stutter?" Shade demanded. "Yes, they've stopped totally. And we need to know who, why, and how."

"Well, who has the ability to stop the clocks?" Chris asked, looking around to his fellow Shadowers.

"Anyone." Maeve answered grimly, tugging nervously at a chain around her neck.

"Have they _all_ stopped?" Nyx asked, drumming her fingers on her belt.

"See for yourself." shade shrugged, and swiveled around and walked towards the center of the slab. The only way one could tell any difference between it and the rest of the slab was a small bump. Shade placed one foot on it, and leaped back. A large hole suddenly had appeared where the bump was, and an descending staircase lead down to a torch-lit underground room. Shade went first, and the others followed, anxious to see if Shade was right. And no one wanted him to be right about this.

The spiral staircase did not go down very deep, but an archway of wrought black iron greeted them, with two silver flamed torches set on either side of the arch. Chris was shocked to see that whenever one of the Shadowers passed through, the two torches turned to black flames and then back to silver once the shadower had reached the other side. The flames however, changed to blood red when he passed through.

Raoul, noticing Chris's unnerved look, walked over. "You're not a fully-fledged Shadower yet, Chris. When that happens, you'll be able to create your home and gain your full powers. It involves a ceremony and a rechristening, so think about he new name you want." he said quietly.

Chris looked a little surprised at this, but was nonetheless reassured. They walked down a tunnel and passed numerous passageways. They finally stopped at a large room. Hundreds of clocks, all different in shape, size, and style, were strewn on the wall, the ceiling, the floor, and all around. Instead of a roar of _'tick-tock'_ there was silence. Absolute dead silence, and all of the Shadowers now looked fear-stricken and horrified.

"What do we do?" Sable whispered, but her voice sounded loud amidst the quiet.

"We fix it." Petrus answered, just as softly.

"_Tick-tock, goes the clock. What happens when they stop?"_ asked a voice from all directions, and it belonged to no inhabitant of the Shadower Plane.

"Show yourself!" Shade ordered, his angry and determined voice echoing in the underground.

"_Tick-tock, time runs out, no need to shout."_

"SHOW YOURSELF!" Shade roared again.

"_Tick-tock, see the spark, all goes dark..." _

A thousand streams of sparks filled the room, the tunnels, and all the caves. When they vanished, thirteen Shadowers lay unconscious, and the torches extinguished.

* * *

**Yes, I know. I didn't do much Chris-centric, there was no Cole, please don't kill me, or you'll never know what's the deal with the clocks and whatnot. BE HAPPY! I LOST MY WRITER'S BLOCK!!!! SQUEE! Ahem, I mean... REVIEWREVIEWREVIEWREVIEW!!!!!!!!!**


	11. Split Up

**Title:I Am Back  
Author: Za Webmaster Authoress**  
**Posted On:** January 2nd, 2008  
**Summary:** Time has been turned back, and only Chris remembers what took place. His Shadower self, Sirhc, is determined to break free of his prison inside Chris. And when he finally breaks free, Chris will end up with nothing but more torment. Sirhc knows more than he tells, and visitors from the future and beyond make things even more complicated. In the final installment of the 'Shadower Trilogy', will and power shall be tested and the fate of the universe will be decided. And all of it rests on Chris's final decision. (Sequel to 'I Am Dead')  
**Rated For:** Language, thematic elements, cataclysmic writing, intense emotional rants, some blood/gore, and descriptive scenes of atrocities.  
**Note:** SORRY! Real life called. It's late, my parents will kill me if I'm up any later on a school night, love you all!!

**Yes, I know you all have questions! Okay,you'll all find out the clocks, the voice, the Shadowers' individual adventures, Sirhc and Chris' adventure, what's up with Piper and Leo (another twist which shall explain a lot) and promise that Chris/Sirhc will yell at the Halliwells. Any more questiosn, drop me a review and I'll answer'em ASAP through e-mail if you have an account, or in the next chapter if your anonymous. **

**Chapter 11: Split Up**

Chris's emerald eyes snapped open, and he awoke to searing agony all over his body. He bit his lip to stop the cry of pain, squeezing his eyes shut. When his lip began to bleed, he figured it was useless to distract himself from the pain, and he decided to deal with it. He opened his eyes, and was irked to find out that it was dark. Not like night, no, this was the kind of dark that meant you were underground.

It came flooding back to him: the clocks, the indescribable voice, the sparks, and then the blackness. With a frustrated growl at the fact that someone had bested him – something he was sick of, having had it happened once too many times – he held up his hand and a ball of light lit up the once dark cave room. With a groan he pulled himself to his knees and examined the surroundings. The other twelve Shadowers were splayed out on the floor, unconscious.

He looked to Talbot, who was closest to him. He began to shake the winged man, and whispering for him to awake. That failed, and he growled and stood up.

He closed his eyes and used his powers to illuminate the cavern fully, a blinding light.

"WAKE UP!" he screamed.

Some of them jerked awake, but the majority remained unconscious. Nyx, Cadeyrn, Talbot, Raoul, and Sable were the only ones to awake.

"What the blood 'ell happened?" Nyx asked, her accent coming through thick.

"The clocks stopped, a creepy voice, sparks, and then blackness. Ringing any bells?" Cadeyrn asked sarcastically.

"Not liter'ly, thanks for tha' mate." Nyx grinned cheekily.

"Stop flirting, lovebirds, _abbiamo ottenuto i problemi grandi_!" Talbot snapped.

Nyx muttered something about 'translating making her head hurt' but she otherwise gave no reply.

Petrus awoke a moment later, groggy asked, "_Wat gebeurde_?"

Chris shook his head, "Answering this question is going to get bothersome. Okay, the clocks stopped, we came here, a voice freaked us all out, the whole place flooded with sparks and we got knocked unconscious, get it?"

"_Lo consiguió_." Lolita snapped, also awake.

Cadeyrn was getting annoyed. "Can we please speak English? Translating is making my head hurt, and I want to find the bitch that did this."

"How do you know it was a girl?" Nyx asked nonchalantly.

"Either way it works. He's a bitch, she's a bitch, both are very good insults." Cadyern said.

"How are we going to get the others up?" Lolita asked, rolling her 'r's eccentrically and making her accent thick to irk Cadeyrn. It worked, and he growled, but Nyx punched him and he instantly was silenced.

"Save your anger for the one that did this to us." she hissed.

The idea clicked for the awake ones in an instant.

"GET UP!" they roared, which effectively awoke the rest of the Shadowers. After a few minutes of jogging the memories of the others, Talbot re-lit the torches and Chris extinguished his light.

"Who the hell did this?" Maeve demanded.

"We don't know, but we're sure as hell going to find out." Shade growled, "I will not let this bastard make a fool out of us on our own plane without payback."

"Orders?" Nyx demanded, going into soldier mode.

"Petrus, see if you can talk to any spirits for us, see who knows anything. Sable, I want you and Talbot to scout Earth and sense for any unnatural power shifts. Maeve, I want you to scry for the fucking bastard. Nyx and Cadeyrn, you two need to question our Underworld and Underground contacts, see if they know of any rumors going around. Raoul, I need you and Fleur to use your powers to see if you can find out something, anything on this guy. Chris, I want you to get the Charmed Ones, the Elder, and your brother. We may need them. Isis, I want you to check your weapon stock and get out the secret weapons for everyone. Lolita, see if you can find out why the clocks stopped, maybe it'll lead us to the bastard. Airlea, I want you to send out a message to everyone, and I mean everyone in our contact list about a powerful disturbance and the stopping of the clocks-"

"_Tick-tock, I don't think so. Let's see the snow!"_ the voice had returned, it's chillingly child-like voice turning the air to ice.

Snow suddenly poured from the cave's ceiling, and the Shadowers vanished to the above ground.

"How is this happening, Shade?" Airlea asked, her voice low. It was snowing, but the Shadowers sensed that this was normal and not the voice's doing. The Shadower Plane's weather was tied to the emotions' of the Shadowers. And if all of them were pissed off, that meant the weather would not be good.

"I want all of you off of this Plane in the next ten seconds except for Chris and me. Get into small groups, hide and stay hidden. Chris and I will get the sisters, Leo, and Wyatt. GO!" Shade ordered, his mind forming a plan at rapid fire. They did as they were told, splitting up into groups of two or three.

Chris and Shade teleported to where the five intruders were. They were resting by the edge of the forest, dozing off while curled up on the black dirt and using large rocks as pillows.

"Get up, we've got to go." Chris ordered, and they jumped up.

"What the hell is going on, Chris?" Wyatt demanded, his ton of authority returning. He was not used to being in a following position. And he was definitely not used to taking orders from his younger brother.

"I'll tell you when our lives aren't at risk." Chris responded icily, giving a cold look to his family.

"NOW!" Shade barked vehemently when no one moved.

Chris waved his hand, and the seven of them disappeared in a swirl of black smoke.

* * *

**San Francisco - City's Out Limits, Forest Area**

It was night, and a black canvas hid most of the starts. The moon was full, and oddly bright.

Unaccustomed to traveling from plane to plane, the Charmed Ones, Leo, and even Wyatt were a tad out of breath and slightly nauseous.

"Get up, and get moving. We've got to find a way to stop this son of a bitch who did this." Chris growled, his temper short and his mind frantic.

Without warning, Cole appeared, three potions in hand. He tossed one at Chris, and slipped the other two in his pocket. Chris cried out in agony, and was suddenly overwhelmed with the sensation that he was on fire. The burning switched to raw, inconsceviable agony from the sensation that a thousand knives were being dug into his skin. His heart felt as if ice was surrounding it, and his head exploded with unfathomable pain. Darkness and bright lights flashed in his sight, but no amount of screaming he did numbed the pain.

"WHAT HAVE YOU DONE?!" Shade roared, grabbing Cole by his collar and slamming him into a tree.

"I used a potion to separate the Shadower and Chris."

Shade paled, horror striking into his eyes and facial expression, "You did what?" he whispered, his voice low and shocked.

"I used a potion to separate the Shadow and Chris!" repeated Cole, though a tad more impatiently.

Shade dropped Cole without a word, and turned to the screaming boy. Chris was on his knees, hands flat against the dewy grass. The others watch silently, Wyatt, Paige, and Phoebe in horror, while Piper and Leo were impassive.

Chris let out a final scream of unbearable pain, before a shadow suddenly ripped itself from Chris. Chris, memories resurfacing, put one hand up, and the shadow formed a copy of himself, Sirhc's hand flat against Chris's. When Sirhc was fully formed, and Chris's features returned to what they had been so long ago, they both collapsed into a accidental hug.

They were barely conscious, aching pain making their vision hazy and their minds numbed. Shade knelt by their sides, shaking them awake.

"By the shadows, are you two alright?" Shade asked, genuine concern and fear dripping in his voice.

"No." they both managed to rasp out. Shade gently helped them into sitting positions, back-to-back of each other. They closed their eyes, gasping for air in hopes of relieving the pain.

Shade smiled softly and smoothed their hair before standing up abruptly and turning to Cole.

"I'm being very calm. Very, very calm," he hissed, his voice low but so dangerous it chilled even Wyatt, "Because those two are nearly unconscious, in pain, and they're psyches are so vulnerable right now it's not even remotely amusing. So I suggest you tell me_exactly what you did_."

Cole was unflinching, accustomed to acting unafraid for the sake of others, or in this case, himself.

"I put wormwood, black poppy, feather of a crow, blood of a darklighter, jasmine, rosemary, cedar, bay, Saint-John's-wort, lemon, and mint in the potion. I used three black candle, two white, one green, and I used Runic Talisman charm to ensure good luck and purification." Cole said hastily. He didn't expect any severe side effects, with all the luck he mixed in with the potions AND the ceremonial insurance.

"There are fucking BAD side effects you idiot!" Shade hissed, his telepathy kicking in, "Those two are going into a coma! And until they rejoin, they're going to be in pain, they'll lose half their powers, will be unable to teleport without each other nearby or at the destination they wish to orb to, they'll lose all sensing abilities except in the cases of one another, and so much worse." his voice was deadly quiet, but the power in his eyes was unmistakable. The air was thick with tension and power, just waiting for a spark to blow it all up.

"What can we do?" Phoebe asked nervously.

Shade whipped his head to her, eyes narrowed and still filled with anger and unfathomable power, "We wait."

* * *

**Sirhc and Chris**

Sirhc and Chris were standing tall as spirit-like figures. They were semi-transparent, intangible, and no one could hear or talk to them. Their bodies were still, eyelids closed and skin paler than usual.

"What do we do?" Chris asked softly.

"We find out what we can while we can. We're pretty much useless until we're out of this coma. So we might as well find out why the clocks have stopped, why the hell that's fucking important, who turn's Wyatt, and who the hell messed with the Shadowers." Sirhc replied, seething at this new predicament.

"Then I guess we'd better get started." Chris commented, and the duo both smirked, devilish and yelling that the two of them would be a force to reckon with, even if they were in comas.

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**Yes bad cliffie! Review, PLEASE! **

**Loves, IF **


	12. Taken and Awoken

**Title: **I Am Back**  
Author: **Za Webmaster Authoress  
**Posted On:** July 7th, 2008  
**Summary:** Time has been turned back, and only Chris remembers what took place. His Shadower self, Sirhc, is determined to break free of his prison inside Chris. And when he finally breaks free, Chris will end up with nothing but more torment. Sirhc knows more than he tells, and visitors from the future and beyond make things even more complicated. In the final installment of the 'Shadower Trilogy', will and power shall be tested and the fate of the universe will be decided. And all of it rests on Chris's final decision. (Sequel to 'I Am Dead')  
**Rated For:** Language, thematic elements, cataclysmic writing, intense emotional rants, some blood/gore, and descriptive scenes of atrocities.  
**Note:** Huh. I posted chapter 7 exactly one year ago. I feel horrible, I have been horrible at updating! All of this hit me last night, at like, 9 PM, and I was up till 1 AM typing it all up and editing it, and then, this morning, I spent a good hour re-editing it and adding more to the chapter. Again, I am sorry for not updating, but the last part of Freshman year was HELL on toast to my writing time, and I was so preoccupied with my website and my original writing (that I do not post anywhere) that I completely forgot about my stories. I'M SORRY! But I made this chapter extremely long, so I hope that compensates for it! Reviews would be lovely, even if they are just to yell at me for taking forever. And I promise to update again before next year, lol.

A special thanks and virtual hugs and cookies to my lovely reviewers:

**La La Land is My Home, Amber, ladylookslikeadude, lizardmomma, xcharmedgirl4evax, denise, Maiqu, guardian music angel**

I hope this chapter answers any questions you may have had. ;)

* * *

**Chapter 12: Taken and Awoken**

**Sirhc and Chris**

The duo walked around, searching for a street, or a clue where they were. They wandered for at least half an hour before they found a road. They followed it till they spotted the outskirts of a suburban area.

"Where are we?" Chris asked, eyes scanning for a name or sight that would clue him in.

"Not a clue." Sirhc shrugged, and they wandered.

"Where is everyone?" Sirhc wondered as he noticed that there was not a single living creature around.

"No idea." Chris muttered softly. Finally they reached an empty street intersection. A neon pink flier was crumpled up and discarded at Chris's feet. He picked it up carefully and scanned it, searching for useful information.

"We're in Boston_._" he finally said, and Sirhc sighed, why, Chris wasn't sure.

"It'll be nice to see what it looks like before we turn it into a Resistance City." Sirhc smirked darkly, trying to find some meager, trivial bright aspect of this apocalyptic situation. Wyatt, ever the civilized being, had focused mainly on Europe and it's many great cities, and also his hometown areas of western North America. Australia, parts of Russia, and eastern North America were mainly Resistance territories.

"Yeah, I guess." Chris said quietly, watching the fluorescent flier fall to the ground as he dropped it.

"Well, at least we know what happens when the clocks stop." Sirhc said venomously, haunted eyes narrowing.

Chris, bewildered, followed his line of sight and cursed vividly under his breath. Everything from humans to cars to animals to trees moving in the wind had stopped. Frozen in time, but yet alive nonetheless. Nothing was moving.

And so they continued walking, taking in the eerie and strange scenes.

**The Charmed Ones, Wyatt, Leo, Cole, and Shade**

"Piper, Leo, I need you both to do something for me before we do anything else." Cole said, hesitant at first.

"What?" their eyes were narrowed in suspicion.

"Drink these." Cole held out the small potion vials, each one half filled with a translucent, dark red liquid.

"What do they do?" Leo demanded, looking from Cole to the potions.

"They're nothing bad, I promise." Cole told them firmly, looking Leo straight in the eyes.

Phoebe looked to her former husband with curious eyes. She felt nothing from him before, but now, he was an open book. He was terrified of the unknown future. He was worried for the safety of Chris, and sick over the pain he had caused his nephew. And he was being truthful about the potions.

"He's telling the truth. They're safe." Phoebe said softly, not taking her eyes from Cole. He gave her a small, weak smile and a nod of genuine appreciation. Leo and Piper did not make any moves, their only reaction was to grimace.

All heads turned to them from their silence.

"Piper, Leo. It's alright." Phoebe reassured them, sounding slightly suspicious.

"Fine." Piper snatched the potion briskly, and Leo followed suit. They exchanged nervously grim looks, and then downed the potions. And in an instant, an orange light outlined the pair. It vanished as suddenly as it had come.

"Wha-what happened?" Piper asked, sounding fearful. Her voice was lighter, no longer biting and cruel.

"Piper?" Paige looked to her eldest sister, concerned.

"I... I remember... I remember kicking Chris out of the house. And I remember saving Wyatt from the Order. And then... Everything's all choppy. I remember some things, important things, but then I'm missing entire chunks of my memory." Piper looked truly terrified, but she seemed to be slowly recollecting the events that occurred over the past few days.

"It's the same for me... I remember everything clearly up to when I talked to Chris on the Golden Gate Bridge, and then everything is all broken and disorganized. Oh my god, Chris is my son." Leo's eyes widened at this realization, and Piper rushed over to her unconscious son. Shade grabbed her arm and pulled her away angrily.

"Leave him be. The less we disturb them, the better off they will be." he growled, eyes blazing.

"What the hell is going on?!" demanded Wyatt strongly, his voice deep and commanding with the authority he had become so accustomed to over his reign.

"What happened, is, Piper and Leo were under a spell. The same person who stopped the clocks is the same person who put Piper and Leo under a spell of darkness and cruelty. They became bitter and apathetic to the world around them, especially towards Chris. Am I missing anything?" Shade glanced over to Cole, who was watching Chris and Sirhc's unmoving forms with concern.

"No." he admitted softly, not tearing his eyes from them. They did not look healthy, their bodies slacken but at the same time taught with pain. Chris's head rested on Sirhc's shoulder, their eyes shut, and breathing in deeply.

"What do we do now?" Paige asked boldly, looking from person to person, searching for some sign in their expressions that they had any clue about what they should do.

No one said anything.

**Cadeyrn and Nyx**

The duo were standing on the roof of the Empire State Building, just as dusk was approaching, watching the city below. The wind was terrible up there, but neither minded. The wind was loved by the Shadowers, the cold of it anesthetic effect on one's pains and freezing your thoughts so you can relax and bask in the numbness.

"No place like home." Cadeyrn commented mockingly to Nyx.

She glared at him eyes flashing with scorn and bitterness over her history in this city. She had heard Leo's words from Shade.

"_...There hasn't been a Shadower for two hundred and fifty years..."_

Those fools. Chris was the thirteenth Shadower in about seventy years, if you were referring to his actual Shadower transformation and not his right time. She was a Shadower formed out of the Holocaust, she had been traveling in France, to save an ancestor, when the Gestapo came for her. She became a Shadower there, as an illegitimate daughter between a witch and warlock. No one knew, because her mother was killed a few days after, and her father abandoned her when she was 13.

When she escaped, she traveled all over, and finally settled on the city of New York in 1975, and lived either there or in the Shadower Plane. And Cadeyrn's comment brought back nasty memories that only furthered the darkness in her soul.

"Shut up," she snarled, "We've got to find a better place to hide. It's New Years tomorrow, we can hide out in Times Square, in one of the shops or in the subways. It's so crowded, if there is anyone after us, we'll be able to slip away. The days before New Years are always a racket, and even the days after."

Cadeyrn nodded, not about to question her talents of tactical maneuvers. Without waiting for him, Nyx leapt off the roof and performed a swan dive into the air, free falling. Cadeyrn laughed and followed her example. When they finally reached the street, their landing was soft and delicate, no broken bones or anything similar. Nyx stood up first, and Cadeyrn followed, laughing and stopped when Nyx clamped a smooth hand over his mouth. He ripped her hand off his mouth and walked beside her.

"What is it?" he inquired, intent on finding out what had caused her to act like this.

She pointed a slender finger to the streets. There were a plethora of people, animals, and things that should be active. Cadeyrn couldn't understand what she was freaked out about, the clocks had stopped. Not a single living creature was moving.

Save for a unidentifiable shadow as it rushed towards them.

"Fuck." the pair breathed before it hit.

**Sable and Talbot**

"Why are we in Rome?" Sable asked Talbot, her eyes shimmering as she sat perched atop a statue.

"Because it's so pretty!" Talbot replied cheekily as he stretched his wings in the crisp air, balanced on the edge of a fountain, coins shining from the pool's floor.

"We need to get moving. Whatever the hell can screw with us in our own damn plane is not to be underestimated. The faster we find whoever did this, the faster we can end this whole mess." Sable snapped, her teeth bared as she stood up and jumped down to the ground next to the fountain. Talbot let his fingers glide across the water, the chill of the water feeling soothing.

"Sorry, sweetheart, you're right." His silvery eyes became devoid of jest as he stared at the water and continued to let his fingers touch the surface, "But what do you propose we do?"

She pursed her lips and closed her eyes, and tried to formulate a plan of any sort. She unfortunately did not have much time.

"Sable!" Talbot's alarmed shout caused her indigo eyes to snap open, but it was too late, and all she could do was scream in agony and rage as a burst of blackness engulfed her.

**Lolita, Petrus, and Maeve**

"Who's briiiiiiilliant idea was it to go _here_?" Lolita demanded, her Spanish accent thicker than usual.

"Mine, do you have a comment about it?" Petrus inquired briskly, his vibrant green eyes glowing.

"No, I was just asking." was the toneless reply.

"Enough, the both of ya. We're 'ere, so let's deal with it, and make the best of it, shall we?" Maeve commanded, her fiery spirit matching her flaming orange hair. The other two nodded sullenly, momentarily ashamed of themselves for their childish behavior.

They were in London, poised on the rooftop of Parliament and gazing upon the majesticness of Big Ben.

"It seems to strange when it is silent." Petrus mused, looking down upon the unmoving city.

"_Si_, it is very strange." agreed Lolita, her bronze eyes sharp as she scanned the area below.

"Well, while we're here, we might as well make the best of it, eh?" Maeve grinned, leaping down onto the streets below. Lolita and Petrus followed her example, and the trio wandered the city, occasionally pocketing any good finds.

"I do like this small, tattered Union Jack." Maeve said, plucking it daintily from it's position on a merchant's table. She pulled out some safety pins from a pouch on her skirt, and attached it to the shoulder of her shirt.

"Very 'Anarchy in the U.K.', is it not?" she asked her companions with a grin.

"Very much so." Lolita replied casually as she carefully picked up a sterling silver ring and put it on her finger.

"Where is Petrus?" Maeve wondered, looking around for the Dutch Phantom. Lolita tensed immediately at this announcement, and Maeve felt her pulse quicken.

"Petrus!" they called out repeatedly, starting off at a reasonable tone before they gave way to shouting.

"He's gone." Maeve breathed in-between curses.

"I think it's time for us to get da hell out of here." Lolita said, and the now duo began to run. Where to, they did not know, but they knew it wasn't safe here any longer.

"LOLITA! MAEVE!" came the panicked plea for help. They sprinted off in the direction of his cries, and they arrived to see him engulfed in a shadow.

"I don't think so!" Maeve shouted vehemently, tossing a sphere from one of her pouches at the shadow. The sphere exploded into pure, light magic, and the shadow let out an unearthly screech.

"I think you made it mad!" shrieked Lolita as the shadow expanded tenfold. And all they could do was scream as it immersed them, for fighting was an effort in futility.

**Isis and Airlea**

"Where are we, Isis?" Airlea demanded, her wings twitching with annoyance.

"I believe we are in Niagara Falls." the Egyptian replied.

"And why, exactly, did you decided to place us _here_?" the winged Shadower scowled, her voice not devoid of great scorn. She was currently sitting on top of a large, fake hamburger poised in a giant Frankenstein's hand. It did not amuse her.

"Because this is one of the funnest streets, and it's close to the falls." Isis's lips twitched into a wicked smirk. Airlea jumped down from the roof of the Burger King and down onto a free space on the sidewalk.

Isis jumped down from the roof of the fun house, walking over to Airlea with a grin, "And also because it is one of the perfect hiding spots. Behind the falls, in the haunted houses, in the fun house, in the hotels, there are plenty of good hiding spots."

Airlea grudgingly admitted this to be true, as they walked carefully through the streets, trying to avoid contact with people.

"And Niagara Falls is a one of the natural wonders, meaning it is a hot spot for magic." the Greek Shadower mused aloud as she turned to admire the wax figures of Johnny Depp as Captain Jack Sparrow and Orlando Bloom as William Turner, in _Pirates of the Caribbean_.

"These certainly are realistic, don't you think, Isis?" Airlea asked her companion, swiveling around. But the Egyptian was gone.

"Isis?"

"Isis!" her call was more of a bark now, distress making her voice rise.

"ISIS!" she leapt onto the top of a gaming center's roof, scanning for movement. And she found it. A dark figure, unidentifiable, and no sign of Isis. An icy feeling struck itself into Airlea's heart, and panic bells went off in her mind. She was in danger. This adversary was much too strong for her, she could practically feel the power radiating from it. It was suppressing her own powers, making her unable to teleport her way out. Her powers, however, were not completely diminished, and with growing horror her connection to her fellow Shadowers told her all she needed to know.

In a desperate attempt, she got down from her perch, and as silent as the night, she crept into the gaming center. She looked for places to hide, to send a message. She spotted a ride of sorts right up front, something to do with ghosts. Luckily for her, the doors to the ride were partially open, frozen just as one of the vehicles were pushing it open. She slid inside, eyes adjusting to the darkness and the black light's affects on the neon decorations and paint. She carefully walked through the next few doors, deeper inside the ride, careful to make as little noise as possible.

Finally, she found a hiding spot behind one of the ghost cut-outs. Crouching down, out of sight, she pulled a piece of rolled up parchment paper from her messenger bag, along with a black fountain pen. In a frantic, flourished script, she began to write out her message. She felt her heartbeat quicken as the banging sound of doors being violently opened and closed reached her ears. She hastened her writing, trying to cram as much information as she could before the shadow reached her.

The doors to the section of the ride where she was hidden swung open. Breathing deeply but quietly, Airlea rolled the parchment back up, tied a black ribbon around it, pulled a feather from her hair and tucked it between the ribbon and the parchment, and placed it back inside her bag. Closing her eyes, she pressed her hands together, and she mouthed several words. The shadow had found her, and leapt through the wooden board and attacked her, but it was too late.

The message had been sent.

**Raoul and Fleur**

The pair were in Paris, France, standing on one of the platforms near the top of the Eiffel Tower. They let the cool breeze wash over them as they took in the view of seeing the City of Lights at night.

"_C'est magnifque, non_?" Fleur inquired to Raoul.

"It's beautiful." he nodded in agreement, his liquid gold eyes sparkling in the lights.

"I miss it, sometimes." Fleur admitted, leaning on the railing to peer over the edge.

"I can imagine. We should come back here again, after this is all over." Raoul said.

She perked her head up, looking at him with wide greyish blue eyes, "Really?"

He grinned wolfishly, "Of course, mademoiselle, would I lie to you?"

"_Oui_, if it suited your purpose." she smiled cheekily, letting her auburn hair drift across her face.

He laughed outright at that, "You know me too well, Fleur. But I promise, we shall come here again, just you and I, and enjoy your Paris when the clocks have not stopped and the future does not hang in the balance."

"That would be nice." she nodded, and she held out her hand, allowing a white and black splotched rose to grow from her palm. She closed her eyes and deeply inhaled the scent of it, and instantly her eyes shot open, "Raoul, there is danger." she said.

He looked at her strangely, standing up straighter, "What?"

She stood up taller to look at him directly, "There is danger, something evil is **here**, the flowers, zey sense it." she stressed the final word. They both began to look around frantically, trying to find the unknown threat. The shadow flattened itself on the platform underneath Fleur's feet, like black paint pooling. It suddenly leapt up around her legs, trapping her.

"Raoul!" she shrieked, panic creeping into her voice. He grabbed her wrists and tried to pull her out, but it was useless, and the shadow only began to engulf her entire body.

"Get out of here!" she commanded, and he hesitated to leave her. The shadow took this moment to make the decision for him, and it sprung out and latched itself around his ankles, causing him to trip and land flat on his back.

"What is this!?" Raoul cried out, desperately trying to wrench himself free, but to no avail.

"I don't know!" Fleur yelped, and twisted herself violently to get free, which caused her to fall to the ground with Raoul. She snatched his wrist, and he snatched hers, holding onto one another for dear life.

They screamed together as they were overwhelmed by the shadow.

**The Charmed Ones, Wyatt, Leo, Cole, and Shade**

Everyone was sitting in silence, thinking of a plan. Most of them kept having their thoughts wander elsewhere. Elsewhere, meaning Chris and Sirhc.

Shade was especially distracted. He was sitting right next to them, his gaze only drifting every so often. He was worried. Separating Chris and Sirhc had to have been one of the most stupid and dangerous things Cole had done. Shade could not blame the former Source of All Evil, however. He knew that Cole's intentions had been only to help Chris, and Shade also knew that he had taken every precaution he could to make sure the separation would go alright.

But all the precautions in the world would have done him no good, because nothing could make a Shadower separating go well. Chris and Sirhc had separated and rejoined before, that was true, but this time, they had already been to the Shadower Plane and had accepted their role as a member of The Seven. The bond was nigh unbreakable, except for extreme conditions or outside interference.

Shade's thoughts were suddenly interrupted as something dropped in front of him. Everyone that was conscious jerked slightly, and turned their attention towards Shade and the object.

It was a piece of light grey parchment, rolled up and tied hastily with a thin, silky black ribbon. Shade instantly recognized it as one of Airlea's messages. Even so, he tentatively picked it up and untied the ribbon gently. The feather fell to the ground, and he lightly snatched it back up, holding it tightly as he read her message.

_Shade,_

_Things have changed terribly. There is a shadow being of some sorts, it has taken Isis. I know it has also taken all the others, save for Raoul and Fleur, but I know it will be after them next. I do not know what it is, but it is very powerful. It blocked my teleportation. I don't know what else I can tell you. It's coming for me, I can hear it getting closer. It moves swiftly, it either can teleport or has incredible speed, and it can make no noise if it chooses, and it can engulf you like a wave. Maeve says light harms it only a little. I'm sorry I can't tell you more, but it's here, and it won't be long before it finds me. Good luck, have hope. Good-bye._

_-Airlea_

Shade felt a sickening sensation enter his body. He felt as if he was going to vomit, or even pass out. Every last one of his Shadowers was gone, taken by this unknown shadow, save for Chris and Sirhc, who were in comas.

"Shade? What is it?" Cole asked softly, looking at the Shadower's unhealthy appearance with growing apprehension.

Shaking slightly, Shade read the letter aloud. His listeners absorbed the information with horror and racing minds. When he finished, he looked to them with woeful silver eyes. The Charmed Ones had tears rolling down their faces, yet they remained silent. Wyatt and Leo had their mouths dropped open in horror, and both were trembling. Cole had his head in his hands, clearly distraught beyond words.

Shade could feel the tears prickling his eyes, shocking himself. He hadn't cried in years, but then again, he had never experienced despair and loss in such a magnitude. He had come close, yes. But this surpassed even his darkest moments.

"What are we going to do?" asked Phoebe, her breathing a tad short as she tried to cry harder. Cole, who was sitting next to her, lifted his head up and put an arm around her comfortingly, and she rested her head on his shoulder, biting her lip.

"I may have an idea." Shade whispered, holding up the feather Airlea had given him.

**Sirhc and Chris**

The pair had wandered Boston for nearly an hour, enjoying the scenery of the harbors and eyeing the foods of Faneuil Hall and deciding what to eat once they got out of this whole mess, and browsing the surrounding shops and vendors.

Finally, after getting absolutely nowhere despite actually trying, they returned to where their bodies were. When they arrived, they noticed with great disdain that the others were simply sitting there, silently thinking.

"Why isn't anyone doing anything!?" demanded Chris fervently.

"Because they don't know what to do." suggested Sirhc, and to Chris's surprise, there was no mockery or cruelty in his voice. He was simply stating a fact.

Both of them jumped when Airlea's letter fell in front of Shade, and they listened to the message with absolute fear. Whatever they were facing, it was incredibly strong.

"I may have an idea." Shade whispered, holding up the feather Airlea had given him. Chris and Sirhc took a step towards him, watching with interest.

"I am the first Shadower, as you all well know." Shade said, not taking his eyes off the black and white feather, "And when I used my powers to create the Shadower... Legacy, you might call it, I was careful. What if something took one of the Shadowers and hid them, and we were unable to find them using any magic?"

Everyone was staring at him, tense and waiting for his explanation to have a point.

"So, I created a system. Each of my Shadowers has specific objects that are a part of them. For Fleur, it's her flower. For Sable and Airlea, it's their feathers. For Maeve, it's all her trinkets. For any of them with weapons, it is their weapons. Some may have several things they are connected to, others may only have one thing. But the idea is, is that if I have one of these objects, I can reconnect with the Shadower. I can find them by doing a certain ritual, or I can teleport to them with only a quick spell."

It dawned on them all at once. If they could find Airlea, then it was highly possible they would find whoever – or whatever – had abducted her.

"But there is a catch to this, unfortunately, one I couldn't prevent." Shade murmured, barely loud enough for them to hear it, "If one of my Shadowers is not complete, then the connection is severed. Until the Shadower is complete again, I cannot find the missing Shadower, even if I have a hundred of their objects. It is part of the legacy. All Shadowers share a connection."

Chris and Sirhc exchanged looks.

"If we could only merge again." Sirhc said, looking at his unconscious body.

"There must be a way." Chris growled, running his hands through his hair in frustration.

"It doesn't matter right now. First, we need to get out of this coma." Sirhc pointed out.

"And how do we do that?" Chris asked him, looking desperately at his Shadower in hopes of some answer.

"I think... I'm not sure, but... Just... Close your eyes."

Chris was reluctant, but after a moment, he shut his emerald eyes.

Sirhc did the same, and he whispered a flurry of indistinguishable words. Chris couldn't even catch a word here or there, it was a storm of soft sounds that sounded odd coming from such a fierce and powerful being's lips.

But whatever Sirhc did worked, because a second later, Chris and Sirhc snapped their eyes open, and both let out shouts of raw, unimaginable agony. Hissing and clenching their teeth, they managed to stop their screams.

Shade was instantly there, trying to calm them down and ease their pain, "Easy boys, it's alright. You're awake now. Calm down."

But despite his soothing words, the pain still coursed through their weary bodies. Shade pulled out two vials from a necklace that was hidden under his shirt. He unlinked them and held them out to the poor boys.

"Take a sip of these." he says gently, pressing the fragile glass into each of their hands. Swallowing their torment long enough to down the clear liquid proved beneficial. Their pain ebbed away, going from an intense, sharp agony to an aching pain.

"What was that?" Sirhc croaked out as he gasped for air and tried to move his sore muscles.

"A tonic." Shade replied shortly. There was silence for a few moments, as Sirhc and Chris recuperated. Eventually, they were well enough to sit up on their own and talk.

"We know what happened with Airlea and that shadow, and the catch about finding her." Chris informed them all. But no one replied, and the duo looked up warily to see why they were not speaking.

Cole looked relieved beyond words, but a faint hint of worry still was present. Phoebe and Paige were wiping away their tears and the corners of their lips were turned up into the slightest of smiles. Wyatt was regarding them with a mix of concern, fear, relief, and confusion. Piper was openly crying, with Leo unsuccessfully trying to soothe her. Shade was looking from the boys to Airlea's feather, pondering what to do next.

Before either Chris or Sirhc would open their mouths, Piper had drawn them both into a hug. Neither one were pleased about this, least of all Sirhc. Both of them pushed her away, staring at her as though she had lost her mind.

"I'm sorry." she choked out through her racking sobs, "I'm so sorry!" through her tears and hysterics she apologized for everything, telling them she loved her son and that she was a horrible mother. Leo joined in, apologizing again and again for being so untrusting and cruel towards his son.

Sirhc and Chris just sat and tuned them out slightly, exhausted. When their rant was finally over, Sirhc glared at her.

"Do you really think this makes everything okay?" he demanded, and she stared at him, open mouthed.

"Apologies mean nothing, especially not now. I don't care if you were under a fucking spell, you still treated Chris like shit ever since he got here, and I know you weren't under a spell these past few months. Just because you suddenly discover Chris is your son doesn't mean you can be excused for what you've done! And don't whine on about how you didn't know! It doesn't matter if he was your son or not, no one deserves to be treated like that! You never even _bothered_ to find out about anything that had to do with Chris! Saying you're sorry and you love him doesn't do jack! So I really suggest you shut up, back off, and start thinking of a way to fix this fucked up mess! After we finish this damn thing, THEN we'll talk about you being a bitch and Leo being a bastard, alright?!"

No one said anything for a long time. Piper and Leo seemed to be in a state of shock.

"How do we merge back?" Chris asked Shade wearily, his voice cracking slightly.

"I don't know, honestly. It's different for each Shadower. When Petrus was split, half of him was a phantom and the other half a witch. His phantom half simply overshadowed his witch half, and then they merged together. This time, however, I'm not sure how you two will be able to merge. Especially not when you're both so weak." Shade admitted honestly.

"Then what do we do now?" Cole asked with a sigh.

"We find safety. Food, water, and shelter. We're all tired. We're all hungry and we're all thirsty. So let's go." Shade stood up, and everyone did the same, even Sirhc and Chris. They all began walking towards downtown Boston in search of the needed shelter and provisions. Shade and Paige led the way, followed by Leo, Piper, and Wyatt, and then Phoebe and Cole, with Chris and Sirhc in the back.

"How ya doing kid?" Sirhc whispered.

"Not so great. You?" Chris asked, his voice also quiet.

"I'm not doing so bad. I think it's cuz I'm the Shadower. I'm not sure." Sirhc shrugged and instantly regretted that action, wincing at the pain it caused him. He looked over to Chris, who looking close to falling asleep on his feet. Sirhc put his arm around Chris and allowed Chris to lean on him for support.

"Thanks." the witchlighter murmured wearily.

"Welcome."

They all walked in silence, save for the sound their feet made against the ground and their heavy breathing. Occasionally, they exchanged words in hushed tones, because as most people knew, the charmed Ones were not good at being quiet. Paige and Shade obviously knew what they were looking for, but the others were clueless, so they simply followed the witch and the Shadower through the crowded city of Boston.

"We can always get food and water and then find shelter." Paige murmured to Shade.

"True. Faneuil Hall is filled with restaurants, and there are shops around it. You all need to find more... Battle-ready clothes." Shade told Paige, looking at her sandals, Piper's dress, and Phoebe's high heels.

She shrugged, "Alright."

They changed directions and began walking towards downtown Boston, finding it easier to walk through the streets than try and not disturb the people on the sidewalks.

They eventually came to rest at Faneuil Hall, and they all collapsed on the entrance steps.

"I'm going to get us some food." Shade announced as he stood up and began to walk inside.

Wyatt stood up, "I'll help."

That left everyone else to remain there and either sit or look around. Piper and Leo remained sitting, but Cole, Paige, Phoebe, Chris, and Sirhc all stood up and began to wander around at the various vendors and stores nearby. Chris and Sirhc wandered around at a slow pace, trying to find a good shelter.

"I don't think we're in the best spot possible." Chris commented, looking around at the openness of the marketplace.

"Yeah. If we could find a magic shop, or something, we could try and stay there. It would be safer, we could use the stuff in the shop to create some sort of defenses." Sirhc agreed as they walked.

"Are you in as much pain as I am?" Chris asked his Shadower, his beautiful eyes shut tightly and his breathing more like hisses of agony.

"No. And I'm worried." Sirhc replied, looking at his other half with true concern in his voice and eyes. Chris's lips twisted in a wry smirk.

"Don't be."

"Too bad. I am." Sirhc said, not taking his eyes off the pained witchlighter. Chris stopped suddenly, and Sirhc had to stop with him.

"Chris?" he stepped in front of Chris, kneeling down slightly. He lifted Chris's head up, trying to get him to stay awake.

"Come on, man, stay with me. We're almost there." he whispered desperately, and as he did, he felt an icy grip claw at his heart. He let out a hiss of pain and he shut his eyes. Both stood there, leaning on the other for support as they tried to overcome the agony. Sirhc tried to heal Chris as best he could with his Shadower gift of cure. To his amazement, it worked slightly. Chris felt his pain subsiding enough for him to stand on his own and breathe normally, and Sirhc was pleased to discover the icy pain that had enveloped him had faded.

"Don't ever do that to me again." Sirhc muttered darkly as they both sat down on the ground.

Chris let out a quiet, almost choked laugh, "I'll try my best."

* * *

**Well? Did it suck? Was it what you expected? Was I too sweet with Chris and Sirhc? I LOVE YOU ALL!**


	13. Happy Halloween

**Title:** I Am Back**  
Author: **Za Webmaster Authoress _(call me IF)_**  
Posted On: **November 7th, 2008. I wanted to post it on Halloween but I just couldn't finish it, and plus, I had no time, :(**  
Summary: **Time has been turned back, and only Chris remembers what took place. His Shadower self, Sirhc, is determined to break free of his prison inside Chris. And when he finally breaks free, Chris will end up with nothing but more torment. Sirhc knows more than he tells, and visitors from the future and beyond make things even more complicated. In the final installment of the 'Shadower Trilogy', will and power shall be tested and the fate of the universe will be decided. And all of it rests on Chris's final decision. (Sequel to 'I Am Dead')**  
Genre(s): **Angst/Tragedy/Suspense/Action**  
Disclaimer:** I don't own Charmed, because after they killed off Chris I stopped watching the show.**  
Rated: **T**  
Warnings/Rated For: **Language, thematic elements, cataclysmic writing, intense emotional rants, some blood/gore, and descriptive scenes of atrocities.**  
Notes: **Thank you to all my lovely reviewers, thank you for reviewing, thank you for patience, your enthusiasm, and your love of this story!

I am sorry to say that this fic is coming to an end sometime in the near future. It's the longest of the trilogy, action-packed and definitely well-worth the effort I put into it. But, all good things must come to an end. I just need to figure out HOW. There will be an epilogue, but I need to focus on the actual story for a bit. I'm sorry for not updating - I do, shockingly enough, have a life, a mad one at that...

Please see my chapter end notes, there's a nice little treat for you all, a little late for Halloween, but I thought you'd all enjoy it a little!

Thanks again to the following: **lizardmomma, guardian music angel, Maiqu, Secret Thought, petites sorcieres, Target23,** and a huge times 3 thank you to **Amber**!

**Chapter 13: Happy Halloween**

**Shade, Sirhc, Chris, Wyatt, Leo, and The Charmed Ones**

Forty-five minutes after Wyatt and Shade had brought back food, everyone had eaten more than they ever thought possible.

"Most of you need to get new clothes. Sandals, dresses, and high heels do not warriors make." Shade pointed out, and the girls groaned slightly.

"You get to go fucking _shopping_, and you're _complaining_?" the first Shadower gaped at the, eyes narrowing in disbelief and a barely concealed venom lacing his words. Would nothing please these witches?

They brightened considerably after realizing they were getting a free shopping trip, and there were plenty of fashionable stores around the marketplace.

Piper, Phoebe, and Paige all stood up and began to wander the marketplace, looking for more comfortable and appropriate clothing. Any dresses or skirts were out, as were most shoes save for boots or durable sneakers.

"What about these?" Paige asked her sisters, holding up a pair of calf-high black leather boots. Phoebe stepped over to her and inspected the boots.

"They seem sturdy... And they're steel-toed!" she exclaimed, handing them back to Paige.

"Mine now." Paige smirked, taking off her heels and exchanging them for the boots.

"Guys, how does this look?" Piper inquired, walking over to them. She was clad in a black long-sleeved shirt, blue jeans, and heavy black boots.

"Good." Phoebe nodded her head in approval while Paige gave her a thumbs up.

After a good half an hour, the siblings had managed to get comfortable, durable clothes that still held some sense of fashion.

Everyone stood (or in Sirhc and Chris's cases, leaned on each other) in relative silence. Shade had gathered a bag of bottled water, a small amount non-perishable food, and some basic medical supplies. One of the first rules of survival: have the basics covered for at least four days.

"We've got to find shelter." Shade barked, snapping everyone out of their reverie, "What good will sleeping do if we're captured?"

They all to admit his point, and they all stood up. It was finally decided they would have to make a trek to Salem, either that night or later. It was decided to go now, if they could find transportation.

They were sprawled all around inside one of the shops that sold electronic furniture, gadgets and gizmos and other luxury technology. Shade was leaning against a wall with his arms folded across his chest. Cole, Leo, Piper, Phoebe, and Paige were all sitting in various chairs. Wyatt was standing tall and steady, far away from his brother and the Shadowers. Sirhc and Chris were sitting on some sort of specialty pillows side-by-side, leaning against a wall and on each other. They had noticed, when they drifted apart, they got weaker and their pain increased.

"Shade," Chris was a bit out of breath, struggling to stay awake, "Can we, unfreeze anything, somehow?"

Shade paused, deep in thought.

"I'm honestly not sure. I know very little about the clocks, they were created by some of the Powers That Be. What I do know is, that when a clock stops, it means that a portion of a place has frozen in time. When all the clocks stop, everything that is on this plane will stop, every single atom will freeze in place. But it takes a lot of power to stop the clocks. A lot. It would take all of The Seven to do it, and we'd have to be at full power. But stopping or _un_stopping a single clock or even two would take far less power."

"How much?" Sirhc lifted his head off Chris's shoulder, his voice barely above a whisper.

"The power of the Charmed Ones, Wyatt, and myself would be enough." Shade replied after a moment of thought.

"What do we need?" Wyatt demanded, and they all turned to look at him, save for Chris and Sirhc who couldn't find the energy.

Shade sighed, "Nothing, just magic and a lot of concentration." He glanced over at the separated duo, and put a hand to his head in exasperation. The two boys were completely exhausted, barely able to keep awake, and the tonics were obviously beginning to wear off. The only thing that was keeping them from slipping into dreamland was pain.

There was a large sound, nearly deafening, like a thousand bells of various pitches going off all at exactly the same time. Everyone clamped their hands over their ears, and the hyper-sensitive Chris, Sirhc, and Shade all howled at the noise.

And suddenly, time was no longer stopped. All of them looked confused, but Shade was looking absolutely scared.

"We've got go. Now." he commanded, his voice quiet as a grave but filled with authority and fear. They all hauled themselves to their feet, Sirhc and Chris being helped by Shade. They made it outside without incident, and found the area was once again active. People were bustling around, late-night shoppers and tourists strolling around and enjoying the night air. They didn't get very far, managing to get away from the crowd and find refuge off to the side. Shade gently helped Chris and Sirhc into sitting positions, before darting away faster than they could comprehend.

"Hey!" was the unanimous exclamation from the Charmed Ones, Leo, and Wyatt. Shade ignored them, running over to a woman and asking her a question. Their voices were inaudible, but Shade nodded and sprinted back to them, his face breaking into an unusually honest and happy grin.

"It's October 30th!" he laughed with relief. Everyone stared at him like had gone mad. At their looks, his smile dissipated a little.

"Ah yes, you mortals don't know. October 30th, the day before All Hallow's Eve, at exactly 11:11 PM in the year 1313, I established the Shadower Legacy, and at midnight, when Halloween had officially begun, I gained immense power that I used to create our Plane. I spread much of it through the webs of time and space, where it lay in wait for the Shadowers to be created. The Powers That Be who created the clocks and gave them to us to guard knew this. They tied my magic–" at this his expression turned into an angry snarl, "–against my orders so that it would draw power from us, and from every single living and unliving thing in all the universes in all the Planes and in every single bit of space. All magic is tied to it. And from 11:11 PM on October 30th to midnight on October 31st, the clocks will run at full power. Nothing can stop them, absolutely nothing. Not Shadowers, not the Powers That Be, not Fate, not even if every single magical force all converged together to try and trick the clocks would it work. Our power is tenfold during this time than it normally is, half of the clocks' powers, and the balance shifts. The balance of magic in the clocks outweighs the balance of magic in the rest of the universe." he explained.

This was a shock, and a good one.

"So, we have a little over 24 hours to get the others back and stop whoever did this?" Piper questioned, looking a bit dubious.

Shade nodded, "Yes." he looked to Sirhc and Chris, who were suddenly looking healthier and alert. Their eyes blazed with power and strength, and a new vigor seemed to have taken hold of their spirits and bodies. They stood up, shakily, but Shade smiled nonetheless.

"The Shadower Plane is inaccessible to non-Shadowers without assistance from one of us. It will be safe again until the Anniversary of the Legacy is over." Shade said, and before anyone could even blink, they were transported to the Shadower Plane.

It looked much different now. Everything was still dark, but now it was night. An unnaturally enormous full moon was glowing a golden-red-orange color, lighting up the entire sky. Stars twinkles like diamonds against the black canvas, and a few splotches of clouds added a change in the sky. The names that were engraved in the black marble were now glowing a bright orange color. Pumpkins and turnips decorated the steps of the homes, faces and designs carved into them and lit by a candle that wouldn't die in the wind. Orange and black lights were all over, and leaves of traditional colors as well as white, black, and grey were all over as a scenery effect. Other decorations for Halloween from all over the world dotted the homes and free space.

A silky fog lay low at the ground. At the edge of the marble slab, a wrought black iron fence with intricate designs had only one way to the rest of the plane: a single archway devoid of the fence. However, a wall of glittering orange, silver, and black cobwebs created a sort of curtain.

The gemstones were all black and had a faint glow, save for one in each collection, which glowed orange. In black writing, the word 'home' was visible on every single stone.

"They're back?" Sirhc demanded, noticing this.

"They must be." Shade said, walking over to the archway. He strode through, and the others' eyes widened as he strode through without breaking the webs. A thin layer of glitter was on his clothes, alight like the stars above, but he brushed it off.

"Airlea! Talbot! Isis! Nyx! Raoul!" Shade began calmly but firmly shouting their names, his voice echoing around the square. The others tried to follow, but only Chris and Sirhc could pass through. For the others, cobwebs became solid and like some sort of stretchy, sticky material that wouldn't break.

"It's a time of danger – the clocks stopped, and will go back to being stopped when the Anniversary is over. Non-Shadowers will be unable to pass through till the threat is gone."

They looked appropriately affronted and displeased at this news, while Chris and Sirhc exchanged smirks.

A figure walked over to them from one of the grey dirt paths that lead to the rest of the Shadower Plane. It was Airlea, looking worse for the wear. Shade, Chris, and Sirhc ran over to her.

"Airlea, my word, what happened?!" Shade yelped, grasping her by the forearms. There were gashes all over her body, deep and dripping blood. Some of them looked like claw marks, and a single claw mark was on the left side of her face. A collection of bruises decorated her visible skin, and her clothes were torn in certain places were she had been clawed. Dirt and smeared blood were all over her skin and clothes, and she was nearly collapse.

"It, tried to catch m when I tried to come back." her voice was weak and raspy, "I fought back. Poisoned me." she coughed, and Shade cursed.

"Where are the others?" he asked her.

"In the library, waiting for you. They're looking up ways to stop it." Airlea told him, her voice getting quieter as she struggled to breathe.

"Airlea, why aren't you resting?" Shade inquired, his voice taking on a more soothing tone.

"Just got here. Others relayed where they were with the bond." she replied, and Shade nodded, wearily. When this misadventure was over, some changes were going to have to be made.

"What about them?" Sirhc demanded, jerking his head towards Leo, Wyatt, Piper, Paige, Cole, and Phoebe.

Shade growled as he slung Airlea's arm over his shoulders to help the nearly unconscious Shadower stand.

"SEVLOW!" he shouted, his tone changing as he summoned the unusual beast.

Sevlow, looking as dangerous as ever, appeared in a swirl of black, white, and orange glitter. His wings were still black as ever, but his fur had changed to a strange mix. His lower torso was pitch black, and it slowly faded to orange as it reached the wings, and then back to black as it reached his furry neck. His paws were shock white, as was the markings around his eyes and nose.

"Watch them." Shade ordered with a slight growl.

Sevlow barked like a wolf twice, "As you wish."

Shade nodded his head at the strange creature, and he helped Airlea over to a smaller-scale gothic cathedral building as Chris and Sirhc followed. They opened the magnificent black stained wood doors, and interior was not of a typical cathedral.

It contained no pews or aisles, and no obvious Christian artifacts. In fact, it was actually more like a cathedral turned library. Shelves that reached the 15-feet high ceilings were loaded with books of every size, color, and genre. The other 10 Shadowers were already there, battered, bruised, and bloodied but alive. Books were splayed out around them and the comfortable overstuffed chairs, and all of them were impatiently arguing and flicking through the books.

Shade deposited Airlea into a chair, much to her relief. Shade walked to the center of the room, looking at each one of his Shadower's individually, ignoring their curious glances towards Chris and Sirhc.

"Shadowers, we have a situation, as you are too well aware. There are only two questions I am interested in finding an answer for. The first is: how do we stop this thing? The second: how can we get Chris and Sirhc to merge?"

No one had an answer.

* * *

**Shorter than chapter 12, but hopefully enough to satisfay you all for little bit. I do have a question before I give you the treat: should I change my penname to IF? It's the name I like to be referred to as, and my current one is kind of long. I really want to change it. The only thing stopping me is I'm worried if I change my name, people who know my old name won't know it's me, or be confused or something. Also, the credits people give me in fanfics for suggestions or ideas or whatever will be inaccurate, and that's annoying to me. Any suggestions? Cuz this penname was originally created with the intention to change, and then I never got around to changing it...**

**Oh yes, you're treat! Below is a list of the meaning/root of the names of the Shadowers except for Shade. I did my research on their names, and Talbot, Lolita, Cadeyrn, Fleur, Nyx, Raoul, and Sable especially have very fitting names.  
**

**Lolita:** Spanish name meaning "sorrows"

**Airlea**: Greek name meaning "ethereal"

**Isis**: "queen of the throne" an Egyptian goddess

**Maeve**: Irish myth name of a warrior queen, means "intoxicating"

**Cadeyrn**: Celtic legend name, from Welsh elements, means "battle-lord"

**Petrus**: Dutch form of 'Peter' means "rock; stone"

**Fleur**: French word meaning "flower"

**Nyx**: Greek goddess of the night, means "night"

**Sable**: "black" derived from the English vocabulary

**Talbot**: "Messenger of destruction" an English surname, likely composed of some Germanic elements

**Raoul**: French form of the German 'Ralph' means "wise wolf"

**Review, please! Thank you for the patience! I love you all, _-IF_**


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